By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has secured an 8.5% wage increase for workers in the automotive industry.
The three-year-agreement secures an above-inflation wage hike, as well as a once-off R10 000 gratuity payment and higher housing subsidies.
Numsa general-secretary Irvin Jim says the agreement is significant as they managed to maintain the workers’ living standards, while other unions encourage their workers to settle for 3% increases.
“We have been having a very serious demand for our members of breaking the ceiling to move workers with skills from level 4 to level 5,” says Jim.
“There will be a process where within a period of 6 months, those workers will have to be shifted from level 4 to level 5 and shop stewards working to ensure that is realised which is a very serious achievement.”
“Now in 2022, the union managed to secure 22.5% in the post-Covid-19 era, and against the poor economic outlook,” Jim said.
The agreement between the union and the Automobile Manufacturers Association is binding for all parties and is valid until June 2025, according to the statement.