A reflection , after almost three decades at SEIFSA
I
think that in this global economy , very few people are fortunate enough to be able to look back over almost three decades of service with a single organisation . In my case , I was very fortunate to start my career with SEIFSA in September 1990 - almost 28 years ago .
Interestingly , it was also a time of change in my personal life and in South Africa . Three months into my new career , I got married , started a new life and , over the next few years , looked forward to starting a family . This period of personal change in my life was not to be overshadowed by the social and political change that had already begun to sweep across the country .
Now , as I reflect on my time at SEIFSA 28 years later , I am able to look back on the experiences to which I was privy , sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly , some of which are briefly highlighted hereunder :
- As a young man , thrown into the field of industrial relations , one of the very first tasks that I was personally exposed to was to try and understand the complexities of the then annual round of industry main agreement wage negotiations . SEIFSA ’ s role in centralised collective bargining in the 1990s was , as is the case today , crucial to its success . Through the complex process of proper mandating , on-going engagement with organised labour and steadfastly persevering when the cause almost seemed lost , many a deal was concluded .
- The SEIFSA leadership of the day secured the future of the collective bargaining system by recognising that attracting NUMSA and the other black trade unions into the Bargaining Council was critical to ensuring the future stability of the industry . SEIFSA did this by acknowledging the legitimacy of the new unions , but also by playing a role in persuading members to resist plantlevel bargaining approaches . Gradually , we were successful in persuading the unions to move away from plant-level bargaining and to become party to the Bargaining Council – including by way of persuading the SEIFSA membership to agree to grant stop- order facilities and rights of access to these new , registered trade unions if they became members of the Council .
- At the beginning of the 2000s , SEIFSA was instrumental in introducing a radical transformation of the employer and union parties ’ manner and approach to the annual wage negotiation process . This entailed a decisive move away from the long-standing , confrontational bargaining stance of the past and the introduction of more effective and facilitated collective bargaining mechanisms . This resulted in a landmark two-year wage agreement and the introduction of flexible working time arrangements for voluntary implementation at company level . The establishment of this new bargaining relationship in the sector foreshadowed a more mature approach to future negotiations , improved relationships between the employers and trade unions and laid a sound platform for industrial stability and growth in the industry .
The SEIFSA leadership of the day secured the future of the collective bargaining system by recognising that attracting NUMSA and the other black trade unions into the Bargaining Council was critical to ensuring the future stability of the industry
- In 2000 , we saw the implementation of the sector education and training authority ( Seta ) system in terms of the Skills Development Act and the Skills Development Levies Act . SEIFSA played a leading role in the establishment and management of the newly-established Merseta and the introduction of the new levy / grant system . However , more importantly , the Federation increasingly emerged as the national champion of artisan training in South Africa . In addition , in response to growing artisan skills shortages , SEIFSA developed and piloted an innovative accelerated artisan
_ Continues on page ... 10
SEIFSA AT 75 - SPECIAL COMMEMORATIVE MAGAZINE 11