Share

Numsa: Employers are selfish

Cape Town – Another attempt to avert a lengthy strike of petrol attendants and vehicle repair workers could be made as early as Monday evening , according to Elias Kubeka, national motor sector coordinator of  the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa).

He said about 70 000 Numsa members went on strike across South Africa on Monday. They also planned marches in Bellville (Cape Town) and Randburg (Johannesburg) on Monday.

“As it was the employers who walked out of an attempt to avert a strike on Thursday, we must now wait for them to come back to us,” Kubeka told Fin24.

He said consumers would feel the heat should petrol stations cease to function normally, which would create long queues for service and delays in vehicle repairs.

“The problem is that employers think only of themselves and are not thinking of consumers,” said Kubeka.

“We already started to address the wage issues at the beginning of June. Conditions in the motor industry are not the best they could be. We want a common forum to address issues along the whole value chain in the automobile industry for the sake of the industry.”

He said oil companies “which are ripping us off” must be challenged collectively, and jobs must be created in the industry.

“The problem is that there are all these little divisions in our industry,” he said.

“Our research shows that white collar workers in the industry are in general earning above the industry minimum, while the same cannot be said about blue collar workers.”

More than 60% of white collar workers in the industry are earning between 20% and 30% more than the industry minimum standards, he said.

When asked about the negative image strikes like these send out to international investors, Kubeka said South Africa's high inequality levels must be taken into consideration.

As to the question of whether petrol attendants are even needed – in the USA consumers pump their own petrol into their cars, for instance – Kubeka said these jobs are part of South Africa’s social structure to provide employment for about 75 000 workers in the vehicle service and related sectors.  

Numsa is demanding a minimum of R6 000 per month, or R30 per hour, to be achieved by July 1 2016.

It is demanding a R30 per hour increase on actual rates of pay across the board in all sectors and divisions, for all workers earning above R6 000 per month.

It is further demanding the removal of area differentials, and that wages and salaries across the industry be equal. The threshold of earnings must also be removed.

- Fin24

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.99
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
24.09
+0.1%
Rand - Euro
20.60
-0.0%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.37
+0.4%
Rand - Yen
0.13
+0.5%
Platinum
904.45
+0.2%
Palladium
999.75
-0.6%
Gold
2,152.91
-0.4%
Silver
24.91
-0.5%
Brent Crude
86.89
+1.8%
Top 40
65,985
-0.4%
All Share
72,185
-0.3%
Resource 10
53,353
+0.1%
Industrial 25
99,500
-1.0%
Financial 15
16,667
+0.3%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders