COVER STORY
INDUSTRY WAGE AND EMPLOYMENT NEGOTIATIONS SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDED
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EIFSA is delighted that it recently successfully concluded a three-year wage deal which guarantees industrial relations peace, certainty and stability for all member companies until 30 June 2024. The deal was struck on 21 October 2021 on behalf of affiliated employer associations ending a devastating three-week strike. An agreement was signed with the biggest metalworkers trade union in South Africa, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA). The agreement with NUMSA came after deals had already been signed with Solidarity and the United Association of South Africa (UASA). This was followed by agreements with the Metal and Electrical Workers Union of South Africa (MEWUSA) and the South African Equity Workers Association (SAEWA) on 22 October 2021. This ensured a complete representation of all the trade unions as signatories to the main agreement covering terms and conditions of employment for the three-year period commencing on 1 July 2021 and ending 30 June 2024.
SEIFSA believes that the agreement contains the following direct benefits to the membership: •
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This agreement followed a challenging negotiation and dispute-resolution process which comprised several formal, informal and bilateral meetings which commenced in May and ending with NUMSA signing the Settlement Agreement ending the three-week strike.
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SEIFSA NEWS
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NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021
The employer negotiating team managed to secure a three-year wage deal. This guarantees industrial relations peace, certainty and stability for all member companies from now until 30 June 2024. The wage increases, calculated on the scheduled rates, and awarded as a rand and cents amount for next July and again in 2024 are clear and unambiguous – they are not dependent on further negotiations and strike action on the increases is not possible. Member companies now know precisely what their employment costs will be for the coming three years, and have an opportunity to manage these appropriately. Notwithstanding considerable pressure brought to bear by the unions (in particular, NUMSA), SEIFSA succeeded in securing a key principle that wage increases must be calculated on the scheduled rates as contained in the agreement and awarded to employees as a rand and cents amount. Finally, SEIFSA and all the trade unions have, as a fundamental element of the agreement, recommitted themselves to pursuing extension and gazettal of the agreement to all non-party employers and employees in the industry and as part of this commitment, commitment have agreed to a special phase-in dispensation for employers, who have been operating outside of the main agreement collective bargaining arena.
