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BDLive: ‘Sticky issues’ as strike starts second week

Jul 09, 2014 news, strike

BDLive: ‘Sticky issues’ as strike starts second week

BDLive's Karl Gernetzky reports that "Labour broking, the youth wage subsidy and agreement on housing appear to be the remaining "sticky issues" delaying an end to the strike by about 220,000 metal workers."

The article published online today continues:

"The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) strike in the metals and engineering sector enters its second week on Wednesday with continued violence and police arrests.

Numsa’s national executive committee is expected to meet on Wednesday evening to deliberate on ending the strike that has affected more than 10,500 companies across South Africa’s manufacturing sector, directly and indirectly, at an estimated daily cost to the economy of about R300m.

Numsa met Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant last night to continue mediation, following a late-night meeting on Monday with employer body the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA (Seifsa).

"It is the specifics of the agreement, when it comes to the wage agreement ... the parties are close. However, there are sticky issues which are exactly what we hope to untangle," Department of Labour spokesman Mokgadi Pela said.

The "sticky issues" include labour broking, the controversial youth wage subsidy, and an agreement over housing allowances. Numsa had entered the mediation demanding, among other things, a 12%-15% wage increase — and a R1,000 housing allowance.

Seifsa offered a three-year wage offer of 7%-10% last week. The body has expressed its disappoint ment in Numsa’s failure to be moved by the concessions employers have made and its frustration over the union’s continued "political demands, about which we can do nothing".

Numsa said in a statement yesterday the national executive meeting scheduled for this evening would take place after regional structures met.

"As we are engaged in an indefinite national strike, we call on Numsa members ... to exercise maximum discipline and not to involve themselves in violent acts of any kind," it said.

Numsa criticised the National Employers Association of SA (Neasa) for continuing to offer an 8% wage deal that comes with a provision that new companies receive relaxation of minimum wage laws in the interest of job creation.

Neasa had to "accept that Numsa shall never settle for an apartheid two-tier labour market system", Numsa said.

Neasa had met Seifsa on Tuesday to try and reach agreement on a deal, Neasa CEO Gerhard Papenfus said.

Seifsa and Numsa represent more than half and two-thirds respectively of the 300,000 employees represented in the sector’s bargaining council, which means a deal struck between the two would be likely to end the strike.

The seven federations and six trade unions within the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council have continued with numerous bilateral meetings this week.

Neasa and trade union Solidarity have written to express their concern that Ms Oliphant was mediating directly only with Numsa and Seifsa. Mr Pela said yesterday Ms Oliphant was mindful of other parties.

Violence and intimidation continued yesterday, with Gauteng police making 53 arrests, bringing the total number of those detained to 98.

The police said they had put in place operational plans to respond to violence hot spots, while a meeting of Numsa structures and strike committees at the weekend has seen the union deploy additional personnel to address members and as observers."

Please see the original story online here : http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/labour/2014/07/09/sticky-issues-as-strike-starts-second-weekThe article published online today continues:

"The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) strike in the metals and engineering sector enters its second week on Wednesday with continued violence and police arrests.

Numsa’s national executive committee is expected to meet on Wednesday evening to deliberate on ending the strike that has affected more than 10,500 companies across South Africa’s manufacturing sector, directly and indirectly, at an estimated daily cost to the economy of about R300m.

Numsa met Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant last night to continue mediation, following a late-night meeting on Monday with employer body the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA (Seifsa).

"It is the specifics of the agreement, when it comes to the wage agreement ... the parties are close. However, there are sticky issues which are exactly what we hope to untangle," Department of Labour spokesman Mokgadi Pela said.

The "sticky issues" include labour broking, the controversial youth wage subsidy, and an agreement over housing allowances. Numsa had entered the mediation demanding, among other things, a 12%-15% wage increase — and a R1,000 housing allowance.

Seifsa offered a three-year wage offer of 7%-10% last week. The body has expressed its disappoint ment in Numsa’s failure to be moved by the concessions employers have made and its frustration over the union’s continued "political demands, about which we can do nothing".

Numsa said in a statement yesterday the national executive meeting scheduled for this evening would take place after regional structures met.

"As we are engaged in an indefinite national strike, we call on Numsa members ... to exercise maximum discipline and not to involve themselves in violent acts of any kind," it said.

Numsa criticised the National Employers Association of SA (Neasa) for continuing to offer an 8% wage deal that comes with a provision that new companies receive relaxation of minimum wage laws in the interest of job creation.

Neasa had to "accept that Numsa shall never settle for an apartheid two-tier labour market system", Numsa said.

Neasa had met Seifsa on Tuesday to try and reach agreement on a deal, Neasa CEO Gerhard Papenfus said.

Seifsa and Numsa represent more than half and two-thirds respectively of the 300,000 employees represented in the sector’s bargaining council, which means a deal struck between the two would be likely to end the strike.

The seven federations and six trade unions within the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council have continued with numerous bilateral meetings this week.

Neasa and trade union Solidarity have written to express their concern that Ms Oliphant was mediating directly only with Numsa and Seifsa. Mr Pela said yesterday Ms Oliphant was mindful of other parties.

Violence and intimidation continued yesterday, with Gauteng police making 53 arrests, bringing the total number of those detained to 98.

The police said they had put in place operational plans to respond to violence hot spots, while a meeting of Numsa structures and strike committees at the weekend has seen the union deploy additional personnel to address members and as observers."

Please see the original story online here : http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/labour/2014/07/09/sticky-issues-as-strike-starts-second-week

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