Numsa accepts 6% wage hike to end engineering strike
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has settled on a 6% wage increase for workers in the engineering sector.
The union made the announcement on Thursday.
Numsa, which has some 140 000 members, embarked on a strike in early October, rejecting the previous wage offer by employer federations, including the Steel and Engineering Industry Federation of South Africa (Seifsa) and the National Employers Association of South Africa (Neasa).
During a media briefing on Thursday Irvin Jim, general-secretary of Numsa, called the acceptance a “compromise”.
"We decided to accept the current 6% on minimum despite our clear demand that it must be given on actual rates.
“We have taken a conscious decision that as union we will compromise and accept the current offer from Seifsa.”
He said Numsa members had already paid a heavy sacrifice for demanding equal pay.
"It's Numsa members who have paid a heavy price during the strike and its in their interest, that union does everything possible to ensure that we resolve the strike as soon as possible (because) each and every day in a strike is a sacrifice as no work means no pay."
Jim added the 6% wage increase is not just for Numsa-affliated workers but every worker the engineering sector.
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