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Johannesburg - The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) is "very close" to sealing a deal for higher wages with employers, a labour ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.
"In terms of the wage adjustments, they are very close," Mokgadi Pela told Reuters. "The differences are in terms of fractions."
He declined to give further details, saying the negotiations were at a "delicate" stage.
More than 200 000 Numsa members walked out last week, demanding wage increases of between 12 to 15%.
The strike has dealt another blow to the ailing economy, coming just two weeks after miners in the platinum industry ended a five-month walkout.
Talks between labour representatives, employers and government officials are due to resume on Tuesday.
The National Employers’ Association of South Africa (Neasa) said in a statement on Monday that bilateral negotiations in an attempt to find a resolution to end the strike by over 220 000 workers failed.
The negotiations "failed to produce a solution to the current deadlock", said Neasa, which is the largest employers' organisation on the Metal and Engineering Industry Bargaining Council.
On Friday Numsa rejected an offer by the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA (Seifsa).
The body tabled a three-year wage offer of between 8% and 10% for different levels of workers in the first year.
The first category of worker was offered 7% in 2015 and 2016, while the others were offered 9% in the second year, and 8% in the final year.
"In terms of the wage adjustments, they are very close," Mokgadi Pela told Reuters. "The differences are in terms of fractions."
He declined to give further details, saying the negotiations were at a "delicate" stage.
More than 200 000 Numsa members walked out last week, demanding wage increases of between 12 to 15%.
The strike has dealt another blow to the ailing economy, coming just two weeks after miners in the platinum industry ended a five-month walkout.
Talks between labour representatives, employers and government officials are due to resume on Tuesday.
The National Employers’ Association of South Africa (Neasa) said in a statement on Monday that bilateral negotiations in an attempt to find a resolution to end the strike by over 220 000 workers failed.
The negotiations "failed to produce a solution to the current deadlock", said Neasa, which is the largest employers' organisation on the Metal and Engineering Industry Bargaining Council.
On Friday Numsa rejected an offer by the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA (Seifsa).
The body tabled a three-year wage offer of between 8% and 10% for different levels of workers in the first year.
The first category of worker was offered 7% in 2015 and 2016, while the others were offered 9% in the second year, and 8% in the final year.
