Numsa members in the steel and engineering industry are on strike.
The Union is demanding an 8-percent increment or nothing. It says the 4-percent offered simply won’t do.
Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said, “you must understand that these are workers many of them which are earning less than R49 an hour. The minimum rate in engineering is R49 an hour. You’re lucky if you hear that. Most employers aren’t even offering that.”
“Employers are offering 4.4%. what does that mean in the life of someone earning R20 per hour? Which is what many of these workers are earning and this is why they are so angry. Last year they went without increases to protect the sector all we want is for employers to give back to workers.”
Economist Bonke Dumisa said workers should accept the offered increase as it is the sector is struggling.
“We are heading for a cliff that we cannot avoid especially if NUMSA is so hard-headed on this one, that it’s either their way or the highway. Employers in their sector cannot afford, in fact, many of the companies in their sector are struggling to survive,” he said.