S Africa's SACTWU settles wage row in footwear sector with 6.8% hike

“The signature processes for the written wage agreement for this new footwear sector wage settlement were completed on July 5, 2022. This new collective agreement for the footwear sector is effective from July 1, 2022, to 30 June, 2023,” Kriel said.

The agreement concluded under the dispute processes and procedures of the National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of South Africa, with employers represented by the Southern African Footwear & Leather Industries Association (SAFLIA).

An additional day’s paid family responsibility leave, a recommendation to the bargaining council to increase the employee agency shop fee, and a commitment to commence a process to renew the Footwear Main Agreement, the Import Replacement Scheme, as well as the Employee Assistance Schemes are also part of the agreement.

“This now signed new collective agreement for the footwear sector will be submitted to the minister of employment and labour, with a request for its gazettal and extension to non-party employers,” Kriel was quoted as saying by a South African media outlet.

SACTWU last week announced it had settled its dispute in the leather-tanning sector, with a 7.25 per cent wage increase, and also announced a settlement in the worsted textile sub-sector wage dispute, providing for wage increases ranging between 7.5 per cent and 8 per cent for this year and next year.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)