The COSATU-affiliated Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) has concluded the 2021/2022 wage negotiations in the non-woven textile sub-sector.

The negotiations were monitored by the National Textile Bargaining Council with employers represented by the National Textile Manufacturers’ Association. (NTMA).

The agreement is dated to July 01, 2021, and is effective for a 12 month period until June 30, 2022. The union members will receive an increment of 5.5 per cent with effect from July 01. 2021.

The agreement also includes an improvement in a long service award, which increases from R1.00 per week for each year of continuous service to R1.50 per week for each completed year of continuous service. This also came into effect from July 01. 2021.

SACTWU has also signed an agreement with its employer counterparts that all shop stewards of the trade union shall be granted reasonable access to Information & Communication Technology (ICT) facilities in the workplace for their trade union communication activities. This, we hope, will make it better for them to execute their trade union duties more effectively under COVID-19 conditions.