NEASA lodges application to interdict MEIBC and Minister of Labour in the Labour Court.

STEEL INDUSTRY

NEASA LODGES APPLICATION TO

INTERDICT

MEIBC and MINISTER OF LABOUR

Click on the video above to watch the recent developments In the Steel Industry – NEASA Needs Your Support!

Dear Steel Industry employer
 

The President has recently requested business and trade unions to make certain commitments, among others lower entry-level wages, as part of the plan to boost investment and revive our struggling economy.

 
What is happening in the MEIBC, however, is in direct opposition to this.
 
The MEIBC has recently adopted a resolution, albeit unlawfully, to request the Minister of Labour to extend an agreement predominantly concluded between Seifsa and NUMSA, to non-parties.

In return for the favour of NUMSA, the Plastic Convertors’ Association of South Africa (PCASA), although not having any ‘skin in the game’, and not being affected at all by the draconian terms of the agreement, voted in favour of the extension of that agreement. This conduct by the PCASA will be the subject of court action.
 
What motivated the PCASA to do this, will perhaps remain a mystery. However, sacrificing the interests of thousands of SMMEs in return for NUMSA’s favour, is something their leadership will have to live with forever; in fact, that will define their legacy.
 
If the Minister of Labour extends this agreement, it will result in SMMEs having to pay an entry-level employee, with no experience or training, a cost-to-company wage of R78.00 per hour, unless the employer can convince a ‘committee’ to grant an exemption on the basis that the business is financially in dire straits.

If this arrangement is implemented in the Steel Industry, it will have a devastating effect on SMMEs and the overall South African socio-economic environment.

Keep in mind that the Steel Industry is already, by far, the most expensive industry governed by bargaining council arrangements in the country.
 
Incidentally, many of Seifsa’s ‘members’ cannot afford this deal either. They will also have to apply for exemption from the very agreement they are signatories to. What a bizarre arrangement?!; but an arrangement which, if it was not applied in this manner, would have resulted in not a single agreement of this nature seeing the light.
 
The Steel Industry can rest assured that we, NEASA, will not allow these industrial vultures to feed on them. We will do everything in our power to prevent this industry-, business- and job-destroying agreement from being forced upon the Steel Industry’s SMMEs; the 90% of employers in the industry.
 
A few days ago, NEASA launched an urgent application in the Labour Court, on numerous grounds, to interdict both the MEIBC from requesting the Minister to extend this agreement, and the Minister from extending this agreement should he already have received such a request. NEASA is supported by the South African Engineers and Founders Association (SAEFA) in this endeavour.
 
Click here to view this application.

This urgent application will be heard on 23 August 2022.
 
In this fight, we need the support of each and every SMME in the Steel Industry. Every SMME needs to support this battle; this is a matter not only of survival, but industrial freedom. Every SMME has to participate in this ‘stand’ being made.

We thank you!

Click any of the links below to confirm your support.

To join NEASA, click here.

To become a supporter and/or make a donation, click here.

Regards

For more information:
NEASA Media Department
media@neasa.co.za