Efforts to end the strike in the steel and engineering sector suffered another blow yesterday when employers withdrew their settlement offer.
The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA said it had "exhausted" its mandate in the negotiations with the National Union of Metalworkers of SA.
"The current situation that we find ourselves in is very unfortunate and deeply regrettable. We are deeply concerned about the enormous damage wreaked on the economy by the strike, hence our determination last week to bring it to a speedy end. It is regrettable that our final offer intended to end the strike was not accepted, with the current industrial action continuing to damage our economy," said Seifsa CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba.
Numsa rejected employers' offer of a 10% wage increase, followed by 9.5% in the second year and 9% in the third.
Numsa wants a 10% one-year deal but is prepared to settle for three years with increases of 10% each year.
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