NEASA CAUTIONS EMPLOYERS NOT TO IMPLEMENT METAL INDUSTRY AGREEMENT
The National Employers Association of South Africa (NEASA) is urging its members and other non-parties not to implement the agreement that has been reached between unions and SEIFSA yesterday.
According to NEASA Chief Executive Officer Gerhard Papenfus, the employer's organisation regards the accord as a party agreement that is only applicable to members affiliated to SEIFSA, and that it should not be forced down upon non-party members of the Bargaining Council.
"NEASA will not sign this agreement and as such we and our members are currently non-parties to this agreement. We are therefore not bound by the agreement," Papenfus said, adding that this agreement will only become an industry agreement once the Minister of Labour, Mildred Oliphant, has extended the agreement to non-parties and such an extension is promulgated in the Government Gazette.
"We have already given an ultimatum to the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC), not to forward this agreement to the Minister for extension to non-parties. NEASA has declared a dispute against the MEIBC regarding constitutional matters and the outcome of that legal action will have a direct impact on the validity of this agreement", Papenfus explained.
Furthermore, NEASA claims that the other unions who signed the agreement, simply fell into NUMSA's slipstream. "This so-called agreement was negotiated behind NEASA's back, effectively turning a deaf ear to the single largest employers' organisation in the Council," Papenfus says.