The demands include:
WAGE INCREASES:
- 15 (Fifteen) % across the board.
DURATION OF AGREEMENT:
- 1 (One) year. The previous agreements have been 3 (Three) year agreements.
SHIFT ALLOWANCE TO BE INCREASED:
- Night shift allowance to be increased from the current 15 (Fifteen) % to 25 (Twenty-five) %,
- Afternoon shift to be increased from the current 8 (Eight) % to 15 (Fifteen) %,
- Morning shift to be 10 (Ten) %.
(COVID-19) RELATED MATTERS:
- All employees with comorbidities must be paid a full salary or qualify for disability from the provident or pension fund.
- Employers must pay for (COVID-19) tests.
- Employers must pay the full salary for employees who are quarantined.
PATERNITY LEAVE:
- Sick benefit must be amended to include Paternity leave.
- 10 (Ten) days paid Paternity Leave, currently included in Family Responsibility Leave.
FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY LEAVE:
- 5 (Five) days per occurrence for family responsibility leave. Currently, Family Responsibility Leave is 3 (Three) days per annum. It accumulates for 3 (Three) years specifically for Compassionate Leave.
- Shifts must not be affected by the leave.
ANNUAL LEAVE:
- Annual Leave to be increased to 25 (Twenty-five) days after 24 (Twenty-four) months of employment of service. Currently, Annual Leave is 3 (Three) consecutive weeks (15 (Fifteen) working days 21 (Twenty-one) consecutive days). In the fourth year, an additional week is added.
RETRENCHMENT SEVERANCE PAY:
- Increase severance pay to 4 (Four) weeks per each completed year of service. Currently, severance pay is 1 (One) week per year of completed service. 6 (Six) months is considered a completed year. There are additional ex gratia payments:
- 5 (Five) – 10 (Ten) years’ service: extra 1 (One) week’s severance pay.
- 11 (Eleven) – 15 (Fifteen) years’ service: extra 2 (Two) week’s severance pay.
- More than 16 (Sixteen) years: extra three week’s severance pay.
RETIREMENT EX GRATIA PAYMENT:
- When employees retire from the industry, ex gratia service pay must be paid to them.
TRAVEL ALLOWANCE:
- The employer must assist the employees that could not be at work due to public transport non-availability. Furthermore, the employer must provide the transport, including its costs; or
- An across-the-board monthly payment of R1000 (One thousand).
- The employer must also provide transport for awkward shifts and to pay 100 (One hundred) % towards transport.
UNDERGROUND ALLOWANCES:
- R1000 (One thousand) underground allowance.
YOUTH WAGE SUBSIDY:
- Reject the youth wage subsidy.
PROVIDENT FUND:
- Include insured Benefits i.e., Funeral cover.
SHAREHOLDING IN COMPANIES:
- Employees to be shareholders in the companies where they work.
EXTENSION TO NON-PARTIES:
- Extend to non-parties,
- If negotiations are concluded after the end of June 2021, it must secure back pay to cover the period that might have been lost during negotiations.
DISASTER FUND:
- An agreement that will cover or protect workers not to lose out during lockdown, short time, and lay-off.
