Salary and wage increases for 2009

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  • Dave A
    Site Caretaker

    • May 2006
    • 22803

    #1

    Salary and wage increases for 2009

    What sort of wage increases can we expect to see this year?

    Despite calls to try to reduce job losses, it seems some unions are not going to be shy with their demands.
    A national protected strike in the road freight and logistics sector is set for March 15, the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) said in a statement on Monday.

    The strike -- with regard to the wage dispute declared on January 28 -- would commence at midnight "and will be indefinite until our demands are satisfactorily met", Satawu said.

    "The minimum wage remains very low and currently stands at R883,88 per week for drivers and at R579,16 per week for general workers."

    Satawu has demanded a minimum wage of R6 000 per month for drivers and a minimum wage of R3 000 per month for general workers
    full story from M&G here
    That would be something like a 50% increase for drivers!

    Whilst I like the idea of attracting a better calibre of driver to the industry (as a road user myself I would really appreciate that), I suspect this is going to be the wrong year to expect dramatic wage increases.

    What do you think?
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    Alcocks Electrical Services | Alcocks Pest Control & Entomological Services | Alcocks Hygiene Services
  • IanF
    Moderator

    • Dec 2007
    • 2680

    #2
    Brilliant lets all take the lowest common denominator, the minimum wage, and use that to beat up everyone.
    Anyway what is the general increase for this year, I say 10%.
    Only stress when you can change the outcome!

    Comment

    • duncan drennan
      Email problem

      • Jun 2006
      • 2642

      #3
      I think people should just be happy to not receive pink slips.

      |

      Comment

      • garthu
        Gold Member

        • Dec 2008
        • 595

        #4
        Really a lot to ask. Short sighted. If they were really to win that the consequences Retrenched, out of business, higher basic food costs, fuel costs changed (be it marginal) but would have a round house impact
        Garth

        Electric fence Installation : www.midrand-electronics.co.za
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        Comment

        • SilverNodashi
          Platinum Member

          • May 2007
          • 1197

          #5
          Dave, I really don't think better salaries for the drivers will improve their driving skills. Money doesn't buy skills.
          Get superfast South African Hosting at WebHostingZone

          Comment

          • garthu
            Gold Member

            • Dec 2008
            • 595

            #6
            I did think that myself but didnt comment (decided i've been to contraversial this week ). I think the possibilty of doing the opposite exists. An influx of drivers from other industry ( I might consider the position ) including people with no experience. Certainly rather a driver than security guards etc. All these new people on the roads.. Could make things worse..
            Garth

            Electric fence Installation : www.midrand-electronics.co.za
            Free Classified Adds : www.bgone.co.za

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            • Dave A
              Site Caretaker

              • May 2006
              • 22803

              #7
              I believe pay scales can affect the caliber of who you attract to an industry. It can also affect a person's self-image, something which I have seen in my own organisation.

              Let me toss out a line of thought here.

              Drivers aren't the only cost in a transport company. In fact, they might be one of the smaller costs. Accidents in particular cost money, which increases insurance premiums - and there have been a lot more accidents in the transport industry.

              Attracting a more conscientious driver to the wheel by paying more to the driver could in the medium term reduce costs.

              The flies in the ointment would be the LRA which would make getting rid of poor drivers a little tricky, and the current economic climate where there is serious pressure at the short term goal level.

              Perhaps a change that can't be achieved in one leap, but it wouldn't be a bad thing to strive towards.

              On salary increases for the year, I'm expecting to see more of this:
              Chris de Vos, the general secretary of the United Transport and Allied Trade Union, said yesterday that Transnet management had informed the union that the transport parastatal needed to save R4.9 billion between now and March - the end of its financial year.

              "If that is not the case, they would need to talk to us about no wage increase versus retrenchments," said De Vos.
              full story from Business Report here
              Last edited by Dave A; 17-Feb-09, 11:18 AM.
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              Comment

              • AmithS
                Platinum Member

                • Oct 2008
                • 1520

                #8
                Im with i think people should be lucky not to recieve the boot.

                Our org is not even replacing people who are leaving the org.

                Id say average of about 5% increases in corporates!!!

                Comment

                • garthu
                  Gold Member

                  • Dec 2008
                  • 595

                  #9
                  Ok, get the way of thinking with that on a medium plan. Could end up with better quality in the long term agreed and therefore reduced costs in the long run. But there timing still REALLY sucks
                  Garth

                  Electric fence Installation : www.midrand-electronics.co.za
                  Free Classified Adds : www.bgone.co.za

                  Comment

                  • Martinco
                    Gold Member

                    • Oct 2008
                    • 927

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Dave A
                    What sort of wage increases can we expect to see this year?

                    Despite calls to try to reduce job losses, it seems some unions are not going to be shy with their demands.

                    That would be something like a 50% increase for drivers!

                    Whilst I like the idea of attracting a better calibre of driver to the industry (as a road user myself I would really appreciate that), I suspect this is going to be the wrong year to expect dramatic wage increases.

                    What do you think?
                    "The minimum wage remains very low and currently stands at R883,88 per week for drivers and at R579,16 per week for general workers."

                    Well...there seems to be quite an in parity in the wages paid in the different sectors of industry e.g. In Iron and Steel we pay R995.60 for a driver and R811.20 for a general worker as a minimum and we must not forget that workers talk to one another over a beer and these things come to the fore .
                    To them it does not make any sense that in one industry you get x rands and in another y rands for the same job.
                    I think in our industry we can prepare for about 10%
                    Martin Coetzee
                    Supplier of Stainless Steel Band and Buckle and various fastening systems. Steel, Plastic, Galvanized, PET and Poly woven.
                    We solve your fastening problems.
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                    You may never know what results will come from your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results... Rudy Malan 05/03/2011

                    Comment

                    • Dave A
                      Site Caretaker

                      • May 2006
                      • 22803

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Martinco
                      Well...there seems to be quite an in parity in the wages paid in the different sectors of industry e.g. In Iron and Steel we pay R995.60 for a driver and R811.20 for a general worker as a minimum...
                      The variance on minimum wages for drivers across different industries that suffer centralised bargaining is absolutely astounding. The taxi industry has a minimum wage for drivers of R 1740,53 per month! And that driver has to have a PDP.

                      It just doesn't make sense
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                      • AmithS
                        Platinum Member

                        • Oct 2008
                        • 1520

                        #12
                        The fuel industry also has a standard (MIBCO) for petrol attendants. I think its R11.83 an hour +- R2500 a month.

                        Comment

                        • Pap_sak
                          Silver Member

                          • Sep 2008
                          • 466

                          #13
                          R6000 per month is not really much for a guy driving a big truck IMO. We have to start giving workers reasons for bettering their lot in life and hopefully competition for better jobs (and easing of labour laws) will increase productivity.

                          Comment

                          • Dave A
                            Site Caretaker

                            • May 2006
                            • 22803

                            #14
                            This looks like it's about to get serious.
                            Petrol stations will run dry if a strike by the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) goes ahead, the Fuel Retailers' Association said on Wednesday.

                            "The infrastructure is under pressure in any event -- so a strike will cause chaos," said the association's CEO Peter Morgan.

                            He said that Caltex and BP service stations would be the worst hit by the proposed April 7 strike.

                            "And unfortunately we're not even part of the negotiations -- Satawu are negotiating with the Road Freight Association," he added.

                            Morgan warned that if the strike occurred -- and if oil companies could not find drivers for their trucks -- chaos would ensue.

                            Tabudi Ramakgolo, a spokesperson for Satawu, confirmed to Sapa that the union's members were likely to strike on April 7.

                            This was after a failure to reach an agreement with the Road Freight Association over minimum wages.

                            The Road Freight Association could not be reached for comment.

                            However, a notice on its website said Satawu had issued a notice to commence with a strike on April 7 and that the union remained "inflexible".

                            The notice added that although the Road Freight Association had had several meetings with the union over the past few days, it advised the community to prepare for strike action.
                            full story from M&G here
                            Participation is voluntary.

                            Alcocks Electrical Services | Alcocks Pest Control & Entomological Services | Alcocks Hygiene Services

                            Comment

                            • Martinco
                              Gold Member

                              • Oct 2008
                              • 927

                              #15
                              Makes a lot of sense if you drive a vehicle with a 190 liter tank !...............but these are normally 4x4's that give you 4 km/l in any case, so you cannot survive the easter weekend if you have to travel some distance. So, just use " Jan Tuisbly se karretjie "
                              Martin Coetzee
                              Supplier of Stainless Steel Band and Buckle and various fastening systems. Steel, Plastic, Galvanized, PET and Poly woven.
                              We solve your fastening problems.
                              www.straptite.com

                              You may never know what results will come from your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results... Rudy Malan 05/03/2011

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