Johannesburg – The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) on Tuesday announced that it has secured an above-inflation wage increase of 8% across the board for all workers at Gautrain.
The Consumer Price Inflation (CPI) is at 6.9%.
“The union has been engaged in wage talks with Gautrain management since April this year, and we deadlocked in June,” NUMSA General Secretary Irvin Jim.
“Our members balloted for a strike on Friday, but fortunately, management requested a meeting over the weekend, and made an offer to settle this round of wage talks.”
The wage agreement is broken down as follows:
- An 8% wage increase across the board
- Housing allowance has been increased by 10% to R1210
- Transport allowance increases by 5% to R105
- The KPI bonus will increase by R500 to R9000
- Night shift allowance is R35 per hour
- The Gautrain staff card will remain in place and continue to be used from home to work. No worker will have to pay to travel to use the Gautrain to and from work!
- The agreement is a one-year agreement valid from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024
NUMSA said it welcomes the agreement because it resolves burning issues, which sparked the dispute with the employer.
“We secured an above inflation increase of 8% at a time when most employers are not granting any increases, and, we secured a double-digit percent increase on housing allowance,” said Jim.
“Initially the employer wanted to abolish the housing allowance but we managed to retain and increase it.
“We also managed to persuade the employer to reinstate the staff cards for all employees.”
Jim said this was a positive development, “because our members would have been forced to pay to use the Gautrain when travelling to and from work, and this issue almost made workers resort to strike action”.
He said the union would not have been able to secure the agreements without the unity of workers and their courage to defend and fight for their gains and to improve their conditions.
Jim said it was the unity of workers that “shifted” Gautrain’s management and compelled them to make the necessary compromises.
“We call on all NUMSA members and all workers at Gautrain to remain united as workers because that is the only guarantee that will secure even better wages and benefits in the next round of negotiations,” said Jim.
“We also thank our officials and our Shopstewards for showing leadership during these talks and availing themselves at awkward hours over the weekend for negotiations with the bosses.
“NUMSA will continue to fight to secure better wages and conditions for its members.”
