By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) on Friday signed a wage increase motor sector workers.
The sector covers over three hundred thousand workers who fall under the Motor Industries Bargaining Council (MIBCO). It covers employees who are working for petrol garages, car dealerships, vehicle body builders, and component manufacturing companies.
Numsa’s spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said the wage increase is effective from November.
Hlubi said car dealership employees will receive a 6.5% increase and a further 7.5% has been granted for component manufacturers and petrol attendants.
“Forecourt Attendants increases will be broken down in the following way, year 1 is 7,5%, year 2 is 6%, year 3 is 6%.
“Cashiers increases will be broken down in the following way, year 1 is 5%, year 2 is 4% and year 3 is 4%. For sector 5 all increases will be effected from the time that petrol margins are adjusted by the minister of the Department of Mineral & Energy,” she said.
Besides securing increases for workers in the sector, Numsa also said they fought for the wage threshold in MIBCO to be increased.
“The union’s most urgent task now is to ensure that the processes of endorsement of the agreement within MIBCO are speeded up and, also to approach the Department of Labour to gazette and extend it to non-parties.
On the other hand, Cosatu-affiliated trade unions, such as Nehawu, nurses union, Denosa, police and prisons union Popcru and health union Hospersa, on Tuesday were issued with a strike certificate to join public servants union, PSA, after marathon wage talks failed to resolve the issues at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC).
Some of these unions took to the street this week in protest against the 3% wage increase offer by acting Public Service and Administration Minister Thulas Nxesi, who invoked Section 5 of the Public Service Act to implement a 3% wage increase in the public service.
Workers belonging to these unions have been picketing outside the offices of the PSCBC offices in Centurion since Monday.