"South African union wins wage increases for leather workers", 4 July 2023

To reinforce the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union’s (SACTWU) endless campaign for improving workers’ lives, the union’s leather negotiating team recently won above inflation wage increases in the general goods and handbags and footwear sectors.

During the course of last week, SACTWU signed two wage agreements under the umbrella of the National Bargaining Council of the Leather Industry of South Africa (NBCLI).

SACTWU members in the general goods and handbags leather sector will receive a 7 per cent wage increase. This increase came into effect on 1 July. The agreement was concluded after a wage dispute, with employers who are represented by the Association of South African Manufacturers of Luggage, Handbags and General Goods.

In addition to the current paid family responsibility leave (FRL) provisions, an additional day of unpaid FRL will be granted to those workers in this sector who wish to take up such an option.

SACTWU members in the footwear sector will also receive a 7 per cent wage increase.  This settlement was concluded after two rounds of wage negotiations with footwear employers represented by the Southern African Footwear & Leather Industries Association (SAFLIA)...