One of the country’s largest trade unions, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), is demanding a 10% wage increase.
Image: Phando Jikelo/Independent Newspapers
One of the country’s largest trade unions, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), is demanding a 10% wage increase for employees in the motor industry.
The union, which represents more than 400,000 workers, believes that stagnant wages, coupled with the rising cost of living in the country, have severely impacted employees, pushing them to live below the breadline.
The motor industry itself has faced considerable pressure in recent years, with several car manufacturers reducing their dealership networks across South Africa.
The Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA) has raised concerns about job security in the automotive sector amid ongoing economic challenges and dealership closures.
In an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said workers are under significant financial strain as the cost of living continues to rise.
“As a trade union, we’re acutely aware of our members' dire economic situation. If you look at the research released by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group, it shows that the average worker spends 57% of their income on transport and electricity alone. They don’t even have enough left to buy food,” Hlubi-Majola said.
She also cited data from Stats SA indicating that nearly half of workers across the country earn less than R5,400 a month, stressing that the proposed increase is both urgent and justified.
“Our members fall squarely into that bracket, which is why we’re demanding a meaningful wage increase specifically, a 10% increase across the board,” she added.
The motor industry is expected to face additional challenges following US President Donald Trump’s imposition of a 25% tariff on auto imports.
While Hlubi-Majola acknowledged the global pressures, she reiterated that workers have been under strain for many years.
“We’re not naïve, we understand that conditions right now are far from ideal. But at the end of the day, we are a trade union, and our duty is to prioritise our members’ needs and demands.
"Even during times when the economy was performing well, workers didn’t see the benefits. So we cannot continue to ask them to tighten their belts now when they never shared in the gains before,” she said.
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