Numsa's memorandum of demands below;

1. 70000 cheaply exploited workers in garages, components manufacturers, truck body & trailer builders, panel beaters, spares shops, car and parts dealership and fitment workshops, have consciously decided to down tools and to withdraw our labour after failed protracted wage negotiations since April 2013 with the intransigent employer bodies, the Fuel Retailers Association (FRA) and the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), respectively, under the auspices of the Motor Industry Bargaining Council (MIBCO) .

2. In the midst of high levels of income inequality in South Africa, the Motor Retail bosses are worsening the situation by maintaining and reproducing old apartheid income inequalities. The rejection of our wages demands is a declaration of war and we are prepared to fight until our demands are met. We refuse to be subjected to poverty wages and highly racialised and exploitative working conditions.

3. We are angered by the fact that Motor employers refused and failed to exchange proposals with the Numsa national leadership, in order to find a possible settlement and avert strike action. This is a clear indication that the strike is being imposed on us by the bosses. It has never been our intention to go on a strike, but the situation compels us to strike, as a tactical tool to force the bosses to concede to our genuine and legitimate demands. We are prepared to strike until all our demands are met by the bosses. We will make sure that the industry comes to a standstill.

4. There workers employed in the industry who live in shacks and informal settlements, coupled with over reliance on the State because their wages are insufficient to afford decent housing and other basic necessities. Over 20% on average of workers disposable incomes is liquidated by the cost of transport because of the persisting legacy of apartheid social engineering and its settlement patterns which have ensured that Africans in particular and Blacks in general live in the outer most orbiting spaces, far located from the centers where economic activities are concentrated.

Background to the deadlock:

a. Numsa submitted our demands to the Motor Industry bargaining Council (MIBCO) & employers, the Fuel Retailers Association (FRA) and Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) on the 03 May 2013.

b. Employers submitted their own demands on 03 May 2013, which essentially were demands of downward variation of conditions of employment and contracting out of the LRA Section 31;

c. Negotiations were held on 29 & 30 May, 11- 13 June 2013 leading to a dispute by NUMSA after employers refused to make acceptable offer/response to our demands

d. Dispute meetings were held on 27 & 28 June 2013 but could not resolve the Dispute because employer offered the CPI of 5.9% on minimum wages for other sectors and 5% on actual wages in Components Manufacturing, which is unacceptable;

e. Mediation on the 19 & 20 July 2013 and could not resolve the Dispute. The final round of Mediation was on 27 & 28 August 2013. The FRA has made a conditional final offer of 9.5% which they withdrew, to remain at 7%. The RMI presented offers of 6,5% on the industry minimum and 5% on actual rates of pay for Components manufacturing , signaling that they are not prepared for resolution of the Dispute but want a strike to force them to do so. Motor employers have now shown the highest levels of irresponsibility, recklessness and arrogance therefore gambling with the future of the industry.

5. Our core demands to the Fuel Retailers Association (FRA) and the Retail Motor Industry (RMI) are reasonable and achievable.

• Double digit increases
• Amending the industry peace clause
• Shift Allowance
• Short-time
• Banning Labour Brokers

6. We call on the FRA and RMI to respond urgently to these demands of workers. The failure by the Bosses to respond, we will be forced to intensify our strike until all our demands are met.

Presented on behalf of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa):

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Signed:

Received on behalf of Fuel Retailers Association (FRA):

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Signed

Received on behalf of Retail Motor Industry (RMI)
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Signed

09th Day of September 2013