Sactwu completes wage Strike Ballot in the Carpet Textiles Sector

Date: 26 September 2020

Media release: immediate

Sactwu Completes Wage Strike Ballot In The Carpet Textiles Sector

The COSATU-affiliated Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) has completed its wage strike ballot in the carpet textile sector.

This follows after the trade union had declared a wage dispute, and the deadlock for the 2020 substantive negotiations in this sector remains unresolved.

Wage negotiations between SACTWU and the South African Carpets Manufacturers Employers’ Association (SACMEA) commenced on a virtual platform in early July this year, under the auspices of the National Textile Bargaining Council (NTBC). Three rounds of substantive negotiations and a formal dispute meeting thereafter regrettably did not yield a settlement. Further conciliation between the parties held on 27 August 2020 unfortunately also did not result in a resolution of the deadlock.

The main issue in contention is the carpet sector employers’ unacceptable demand that our members must accept downward variation in their terms and conditions of employment. This include a wage freeze, reductions in previously agreed wage rates, non-payment of the 2020 annual bonus due in December this year, and a reduction in night-shift allowances.

While SACTWU is fully mindful of the negative effects of the unexpected COVOD-19 lockdown on our industry, we refuse to accept that workers must be punished in consequence. We will never agree to such brutal attacks on the previously agreed collective bargaining living standards of our members, all of whom are from the poorest communities in our country.

The COVID-19 crisis cannot be an opportunistic excuse to exploit workers.

In response, SACTWU’s consequential offence substantive demands include a wage increase, improvements in the annual bonus provisions, better retirement fund support, increased shift allowances and for contract employees to be converted to permanent employment conditions.

Our wage strike ballot, which was a secret ballot for this textile sector, was completed last Wednesday. The ballot counting reconciliation was completed yesterday. The results show that out of a 84% poll, a total of 91% of workers had voted in favour of strike action, 8% had voted against and 1% of the votes were spoilt.

As is required by the provisions of the Labour Relations Act (LRA), our trade union has now requested a meeting with the Commission of Conciliation, Mediation & Arbitration (CCMA) to finalise strike picketing rules, where-after we will commence our national wage strike in this sector.

Issued by

Andre Kriel
SACTWU
General Secretary

If further comments are required, kindly contact SACTWU’s 2nd National Organising Secretary, Mr Michael Shabalala, on cell number 081 782 3753.