Metal and Electrical Workers' Union of South Africa

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The Metal and Electrical Workers' Union of South Africa (MEWUSA) is a trade union representing workers in engineering and related trades in South Africa.

The union was founded in May 1989, when the Electrical and Allied Workers' Trade Union of South Africa merged with the Electronic and Electrical Workers' Union, the Engineering and Allied Workers' Union and the United Automobile and Motor Workers' Union. Like its predecessors, it affiliated to the National Council of Trade Unions (NACTU). [1] [2] On formation, it had 70,000 members, making it NACTU's largest affiliate. [3]

By 2011, the union's membership had declined to about 34,000. [4] The union is also affiliated to the International Metalworkers' Federation. [5]

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The 2021 South African metalworkers strike was a workers strike among metalworkers in South Africa represented by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the Metal and Electrical Workers' Union of South Africa (MEWUSA). Beginning October 5, 2021, workers represented by NUMSA have been on strike demanding higher pay, specifically requesting an 8% across-the-board wage rise in the first year, and inflation plus 2% for the second and third years. The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA), an industry association, had offered 4.4% for 2021, inflation plus 0.5% in 2022 and inflation plus 1% in the third year, which was rejected by NUMSA. On October 21, 2021, NUMSA and SEIFSA agreed to a 6% annual increase for lower-paid employees, and a 5-5.5% increase for higher paid employees. The strike impacted mining, construction, engineering and metallurgical businesses throughout the country, with BMW's production in the country particularly impacted. A representative from SEIFSA suggested that the strike cost businesses a total of 600 million South African rand, and resulted in 300 million rand of lost pay for workers.

References

  1. ↑ Mohamed, Shireen (1991). Electrical and Allied Workers Trade Union of South Africa: a history (PDF). Cape Town: Southern African Labour and Development Research Unit. ISBN   0799213152 . Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "About us". MEWUSA. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  3. ↑ Foreign Labour Trends (1989)
  4. ↑ Lawrence, Andrew (2014). Employer and Worker Collective Action. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN   1107071755.
  5. ↑ "New Engineering Agreement in South Africa". International Metalworkers' Federation. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
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