R300 million wage agreement for clothing industry

Approximately 85‚000 clothing workers in South Africa will receive above-inflation increases this year‚ with higher percentage adjustments for workers outside of the big Metros where salaries are traditionally lower than in the cities.

The deal was announced by the Cosatu-affiliated Southern African Clothing &  Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) after a meeting of the clothing industry bargaining council in Cape Town today.

The increases will come into effect on 1 September 2015‚ which is the normal due date for annual wage increases in the industry.

SACTWU said its members in non-metro areas such as Ladysmith‚ Isithebe‚ Despatch‚ South Coast‚ Botshabelo‚ Paarl‚ Caledon‚ QwaQwa‚ Babalegi and Newcastle would receive a 10% wage increase.

Workers in the metro areas of Durban‚ Cape Town‚ Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth are to receive a 7.4% wage increase.

"This wage agreement settlement means a substantial R309 million cash injection into the South African economy‚ over the 12-month period commencing 1st September this year. Our trade union is now turning its attention to focus on the productivity and training challenge in the industry‚" said SACTWU General Secretary Andre Kriel.