About 70 000 clothing workers in South Africa, most of whom are members of the Congress of South African Trade Unions-affiliated Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu), will receive a 4.2% average wage increase as from September 1.
This is the second wage increase for South African clothing workers this year.
The previous wage increase of about 3.7% came into force on March 1.
These wage increases are the result of a variation collective agreement which was concluded late last year, between Sactwu and the Apparel & Textile Association of South Africa, the South African Apparel Association and the Transvaal Clothing Manufacturers Association.
The agreement was concluded under the auspices of the National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry.
“We hope that this additional wage increase, which comes into effect tomorrow, will bring welcome relief for clothing workers, who are predominantly women,” says Sactwu general secretary André Kriel.