The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) is meeting employers in the plastics sector on Tuesday, where it is demanding a 10% wage increase across the board, while the bosses have tabled a 0% increase.
The third round of pay talks began on Monday and are held under the auspices of the Metals Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) and the Plastics Negotiating Forum, a sub-structure of the MEIBC.
According to the department of trade, industry and competition, there are about 1,800 plastics companies employing about 60,000 workers across the country, with the sector directly contributing about R68bn to GDP.
The leading markets for plastics are in packaging, building, agriculture, construction and the automotive industries. A number of other industries which use some form of plastic include textile, electrical, electronic, mechanical engineering and agricultural industries.
Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said the union’s demands include a one-year 10% across the board wage increase “on the actual rates of pay”; reconfiguration of shifts; and removal of area differentials, among others.
"Area differentials basically means that workers who are not based in the major metros like Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban earn less. This is unfair because they do the same work as other workers in the metros and they are subjected to the same conditions, therefore the rate should be the same,” Hlubi-Majola said.
“Employers have responded with a 0% increase and they have proposed a four-year agreement. Numsa has expressed its disapproval and disappointment with the employers for offering zero while simultaneously demanding a multi-year agreement. This is outrageous.”
A 0% increase meant employers were completely disregarding the cost of living and how it affected workers. “If implemented, it would be like a long stand-still agreement. It also means that workers will be expected to survive on their meagre earnings, for a long period of time, with no change. This is blatantly unfair.”
Numsa expected employers to present a revised offer an effort that could help “settle the negotiations”.
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