
NUMSA is threatening to embark on a strike in the bus sector ahead of the Easter weekend.
The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has said it will be embarking on a strike in the bus sector ahead of the Easter weekend if employers do not put a “meaningful” wage offer on the table.
The South African Bus Employers Association and the Commuter Bus Employers Organizations, according to the bus passenger sector employees, have refused to discuss a wages since January.
The union claimed that because they had received no medical coverage at all, employees had also requested health insurance benefits.
Spokesperson for Numsa, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, claims that in addition to rejecting employers’ proposals for a 6% pay increase, the union is also upset that employees in the industry do not have any form of medical insurance or assistance.
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According to Hlubi-Majola, the affected bus companies have 48 hours.
“We have been trying to negotiate with employers through the South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council and we declared a dispute in February but employers are stubbornly refusing to give workers a meaningful increase and if the employers do not come to the negotiating table, we will have no choice but to resort to a full-blown strike.”
“The union members want a minimum wage increase of 7% for year one and year two, from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2025. Both employers made an offer directly to employees of 6% increase for 3 years. This proposal is conditional upon workers dropping the demand for medical insurance.”
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