Numsa ends components sector strike

"We accepted the 10% wage increase offer for the components sector for this year. Next year there will be an eight percent increase," Numsa's general secretary Irvin Jim said.

The agreement would be valid until 2015.

Numsa said workers would be addressed by their representatives before resuming their duties.

"Regional report backs should take place in all nine Numsa regions so that the national office bearers are able to convey the decision of the executive council," it said in a statement.

Arrogant employers?

Spokesman Castro Ngobese said the prolonged strike was a result of "arrogance by employers" that supported the peace clause that was proposed by them.

"Employers have given unilateral increases (and higher plant level increases) thereby seeking to undo centralised bargaining and bribing workers not to participate in the strike," Ngobese claimed.

He warned of deadlocked wage talks in the tyre manufacturing sector and at Eskom which may lead to protected strike action in those sectors.

"It is Numsa's appeal to management of these sectors must to look reasonable at the demands of Numsa members if we are to avoid industrial action," Ngobese said.

Numsa wanted a double-digit wage increase and changes to conditions of employment such as the banning of labour brokers, establishment of a short-time workers' fund, and a transport allowance.

"We also got a commitment from the employers that they would do away with labour brokers should government change the laws," Jim said.

Ngobese's statement indicated that the union had consulted with government and were assured that the legislation regarding labour brokers would be passed before the end of the year.

Source: Sapa via I-Net Bridge