NUMSA REJECTS 4, 1% RACIALISED WAGE OFFER BY ENGINEERING RULING OLIGARCHY

25 May 2011

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) representing more than 117 000 workers, has been resolute and engaged in protracted wage negotiations with the engineering oligarchy for wage demands for 2011 as per main agreements in line with the Labour Relations Act as promulgated by the ANC-led Alliance government.

The latest wage offer of 4, 1 % by engineering ruling oligarchy is a spit in the face and a declaration of war against the workers. This clearly demonstrates high levels of malodorous arrogance and sheer disdain by the engineering oligarchy to improve workers socio-economic living conditions. It is a well known fact that workers share of the income has shrunken over the past years due to the high cost of food, electricity, transport as a result of the neo-liberal policies entrenched and fostered in our economy and society broadly.

Our demands are realistic and achievable taking into account that the engineering is a monopoly, and continuously pays its senior Executives salaries and bonuses far and extremely above rate.

This is what the engineering ruling oligarchy is rejecting;

• A 20% wage increase across the board;
• A 1 year collective bargaining agreement;
•  A total ban of labour brokers in the industry; and
• A 20% shift allowance

These demands are consistent with our federation (COSATU) led campaign for decent work and decent pay for all. The engineering ruling oligarchy should take our demands seriously without being irritants.

The manner in which the engineering ruling oligarchy are conducting themselves in these negotiations, we can't stop to remind ourselves of the profound words by the late Mozambican President Samora Machel when he said, " the rich man's dog gets more in the way of vaccination, medicine, medical care than do the workers upon whom the rich man's wealth is built".

Therefore, the engineering ruling oligarchy should concede to our demands as part of reversing the colonial and apartheid income inequalities inherited from the past system and legacy. The bad faith bargaining on the part of Metal and Engineering employers is certainly driving metalworkers to an industry sooner than later.

Statement issued by Castro Ngobese, NUMSA national spokesperson, May 25 2011

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