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The National Union of Metal Workers of SA (Numsa) came out of the national collective bargaining and negotiations in the Motor Industries Bargaining Council with empty hands, after three rounds of negotiations with the Employers Organisation, the Retail Motor Industry Organisation representing employers in the industry.

The negotiations covers the employees of companies in the motor and components and retail sectors, some of whom, including petrol service station employees, are earning as little as R17.82 an hour.

A 3-year Wage Agreement is due to expire on 31st August 2016. Numsa has therefore been relentlessly negotiating for a living wage and improved conditions of employment for thousands of these vulnerable workers from 1 September

But the employers have rejected Numsa’s demands for a wage increase for the workers. Employers in this sector are convinced that their workers are overpaid and have offered not even a cent as a wage increase.

Some petrol service station employees have even been brutally assaulted, absolutely unprovoked, in incidents like the racist attack by two white men who have been sentenced for assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and crimen injuria after beating a petrol attendant at a garage in Tzaneen after he told the driver that the 95 unleaded petrol was finished.

Numsa today advised employers of its intention to institute a dispute of interest which may result in a national strike action, aiming at ensuring that the effect is the total shutdown of petrol filling stations amongst others and freezing operations across the sector. The CCMA will facilitate this dispute on the 13th July 2016

Numsa will on the 9th July 2016 begin a process of reporting back to its members - the authors of the demands - and collect a mandate as to a way forward.

Issued by Numsa