Sactwu bemoans wage disputes

The trade union said that for 73 plant bargains in the textile, leather, footwear and clothing industries, 32 cases had been settled, 27 were still in progress and 14 are in formal dispute.

For the centralised bargains, amid depressed industry conditions, settlements already reached range between 7.5% and 8.5% and have been concluded in the following sectors: cotton (7.5%), wool & mohair (8.1%), carpets (7.5%), woven & crochet (7.5%) and footwear (8.5%), it said.

Sactwu added that wage negotiations in the following textile sectors were still in progress, with most in dispute: non-wovens, home-textiles, blankets and worsted.

"In the leather sector, negotiations are in deadlock in the general goods & handbag sector and the tanning sector.

"The clothing sector will conduct its second round of negotiations over the next two days in Cape Town (the implementation date is on September 1)," Sactwu concluded.

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