Tyre and rubber industry reaches wage agreement

By Rhodé Marshall
20 August 2007

The tyre and rubber industry strike of four weeks, by 6000 members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) has reached a historical conclusion.

NUMSA says over the next two days, thousands of striking workers at six plants from Goodyear, Continental, and Firestone in Port Elizabeth and Dunlop factory in Durban, Ladysmith and Bridgestone in the North West, which decided to down tools in July, will be returning to work.

“We agreed on a three year term, where the offer would be increased to 8% for this year. Then for the second and third year 7, 5%,” says NUMSA national spokesperson Mziwakhe Hlangani.

Goodyear tyre manufacturer, based in Port Elizabeth, also agreed to take in about 100 contract workers into its permanent staff, out of the 250 employees hired under labour brokers.

“We think this is an historical agreement given the vulnerability of the sector due to the dumping of foreign tyres by Asian companies,” says Hlangani.

He added that the union would like to see Labour Brokers in the industry be scrapped.