South African union seeks 20% pay rise for tyre workers

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, the 260,000 member union that represents tyre and metal industry workers, states it will engage in collective bargaining with employers this year to gain a number of benefits for its members, including a 20 per cent across the board wage increase. Other benefits it seeks include agreement contracts with a minimum one-year’s duration and a ban on labour brokers.

In announcing its collective bargaining plans, NUMSA singled Bridgestone out for attack, accusing the Japanese tyre maker of engaging in a series of “apartheid-style separatist acts”, including a lockout that began on March 22 after it allegedly attempted to force workers to accept wage increases that were lower than those prescribed in the New Tyre Manufacturing Industry Bargaining Council Agreement, which was concluded in 2010.