CRA Business News – South Africa
To all Steel Industry employers.
It recently came under NEASA’s attention that SEIFSA is touting a webinar aimed at explaining, to the unsuspecting public, the virtues of a MEIBC ‘main agreement’.
Although it is commendable that SEIFSA wants to provide training, it simply baffles the mind that they wish to do so in respect of a … non-existing ‘main agreement’.
The simple fact of the matter is, there is no such thing as a prevailing ‘main agreement’ in the Steel Industry. In fact, there has been no ‘main agreement’ for the last decade.
The only agreement that existed (now also defunct, as it expired on 30 June 2020), was a SEIFSA agreement concluded with certain trade unions, and binding on SEIFSA members only.
IRRELEVANT TO 90% OF THE STEEL INDUSTRY
We are aware that there are discussions between the parties to this SEIFSA agreement to extend the agreement for a period of 12 months. However, even if these discussions are successful, such an agreement will still only bind SEIFSA members and will have no bearing on any other employer in the Steel Industry.
CHEAP MARKETING PLOY
This ‘training’ on an imaginary agreement, is nothing more than a cheap marketing ploy aimed at enticing unsuspecting employers, by way of half-truths and misdirection, to be roped into a potential agreement which has already proved to have a devastating effect on the competitiveness and sustainability of an industry that is fighting for survival.
EMPLOYERS: BE CAUTIOUS!
We caution employers in the industry to be extremely cautious and not be ensnared into an agreement which is completely inappropriate and unaffordable.
NEASA 24/7 NATIONAL HOTLINE: 086 016 3272
