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Numsa says strike looming in engineering sector

File photo of Numsa strike
File photo of Numsa strike

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has applied for a strike certificate after wage talks with employers broke down.

The union said it would hear on July 15 whether it had been granted permission to down tools.

Numsa said it is demanding a 15% wage increase‚ while employers are offering an increase based on the minimum wage rate.

Other demands include a two-year agreement‚ as well as extending the agreement to non-parties.

“We warned the ANC that the National Minimum Wage they had proposed would have disastrous consequences‚ but they arrogantly ignored us. Now their proposal is causing chaos in the Engineering sector by ensuring that workers who fought to earn more‚ now risk being downgraded to this pathetic poverty wage of R20 per hour‚” Numsa said.

“At the end of the day the ANC will always fight to protect big business and White monopoly capital at the expense of workers and their families!

“Employers are lying when they say that those who earn more will not get downgraded. We know that in reality‚ there is no one to stop them from paying workers half of what they should earn. If we were to agree to this ridiculous proposal‚ then new workers will suffer‚ and those already employed will earn less than what they are earning now.”

 

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