South Africa’s largest metalworkers’ union said on Friday that its members were considering a new proposal to end the indefinite strike in the engineering sector, which is on its fourth day.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), which has roughly 155,000 members, has gone on strike with the demand of greater wages. The strike was organised as a move with an aim of disrupting the deliveries of parts for new cars and accessories to the car manufacturing factories.
NUMSA said in a statement that it might be able to end the strike if its members were satisfied. The strike will continue in the meantime, it added.
NUMSA demanded an 8 percent across-the-board wage increase in the first year, followed by inflation plus 2 percent increase in wage in the second and third years to the employer companies. The strike was declared when the wage talks and arbitration with the company failed.
Industry body Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA), which represents over 1,000 large and small businesses, met with NUMSA officials earlier this week and agreed on a ‘framework plan,’ Lucio Trentini, the organization’s chief executive reported.
SEIFSA intended to receive a response from NUMSA over the weekend, possibly as late as Monday or Tuesday the following week, he added.
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