THE National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has declared its intention to negotiate to achieve a 20percent wage increase across the board.
Its other demands include a contract of one year's duration for agreements; the banning of labour brokers; paid time off for training during working hours; an extra 15percent morning and afternoon shift allowance and 20percent night shift allowance in the metals engineering sector.
"As it becomes clear to us how members have been forced into greater consumer debt, we are convinced not only that a 20percent increase is necessary to avoid debt crises but, in addition, our campaign for lower interest rates must be revived."
The union said that when, at the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting in March, SA Reserve Bank governor Gill Marcus once again "refused to make the interest rate cuts needed, she confirmed high profits enjoyed by bankers and misery for our workers and for those in debt".
Numsa said its demands for lower interest rates were also meant to help the manufacturing industry, because expensive credit was one reason for the lack of expansion and under-utilised capacity. Another reason was the de-industrialisation of sectors such as electronics, appliances, clothing, textiles and footwear as a result of excessive liberalisation.
"Moving towards a more inward-oriented economic growth path will be crucial - otherwise economic policy cannot be called a new growth path, but simply a new name for the 'reverse Gear' that has taken workers backwards."
An example of the problems caused by excessive trade liberalisation was the way Wal-Mart had entered markets across the world with no regard for labour rights and local sourcing of products.
Numsa said it stood with Cosatu in opposing this entry. It called for the victory of the ANC in the local government elections.
Numsa guns for 20% increase
THE National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has declared its intention to negotiate to achieve a 20percent wage increase across the board.
Its other demands include a contract of one year's duration for agreements; the banning of labour brokers; paid time off for training during working hours; an extra 15percent morning and afternoon shift allowance and 20percent night shift allowance in the metals engineering sector.
"As it becomes clear to us how members have been forced into greater consumer debt, we are convinced not only that a 20percent increase is necessary to avoid debt crises but, in addition, our campaign for lower interest rates must be revived."
The union said that when, at the last Monetary Policy Committee meeting in March, SA Reserve Bank governor Gill Marcus once again "refused to make the interest rate cuts needed, she confirmed high profits enjoyed by bankers and misery for our workers and for those in debt".
Numsa said its demands for lower interest rates were also meant to help the manufacturing industry, because expensive credit was one reason for the lack of expansion and under-utilised capacity. Another reason was the de-industrialisation of sectors such as electronics, appliances, clothing, textiles and footwear as a result of excessive liberalisation.
"Moving towards a more inward-oriented economic growth path will be crucial - otherwise economic policy cannot be called a new growth path, but simply a new name for the 'reverse Gear' that has taken workers backwards."
An example of the problems caused by excessive trade liberalisation was the way Wal-Mart had entered markets across the world with no regard for labour rights and local sourcing of products.
Numsa said it stood with Cosatu in opposing this entry. It called for the victory of the ANC in the local government elections.
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