Welcome

South African Engineers and Founders Association

The SA Engineers and Founders Association (SAEFA) represents the interests of hundreds of member companies in the metal and engineering industry. These companies range in size from very small employers to large multinational organisations. SAEFA not only offers a wide range of direct services to member companies but also represents the interests of our members at both industry and national levels. 

SAEFA’s direct services to member companies, available at a reduced fee to these companies compared to what a non-member company would pay in the market, include assistance on all matters affecting the relationship between themselves and their employees/trade unions – for example:

  • Dispute resolution, conciliation, mediation and arbitration services 
  • Advice, assistance, consultancy and training on labour legislation, employment conditions and all other Industrial Relations matters
  • Assistance is also provided with health and safety matters, broad-based black economic empowerment, contract price adjustments and skills development through our affiliate organisations

For full information on these services contact SAEFA’s Executive Director, Gordon Angus, at gordon@saefa.co.za. 

SAEFA also represents the interests of our member companies in all industry negotiations with the industry’s trade unions, not only on wages and other conditions of employment but also on the industry’s benefit funds which provide benefits to employees such as pensions, permanent disability and sick pay benefits. SAEFA has its own seats at the MEIBC, participating directly in all activities there.

Being a member of SAEFA allows you to have a direct say in what happens in your industry.

 

News

Wage Negotiation Advisory No. 22

7 September 2017

Following our update sent out to members dated 5 September 2017, a meeting of the SA Engineers and Founders Negotiating Team and Executive Committee was held this morning.  It was agreed and decided that a recommendation be made to our members regarding the current state of play in the industry. 

Members are to please note the following:

This recommendation has been proposed and seconded by the meeting.  Any member who opposes this recommendation should contact Gordon by close of business, Monday, 11 September 2017.  Any member who has not responded by this time and date will be deemed to be in support.

The SA Engineers and Founders Association and its members are not parties or signatories to any settlement agreement. We are very well aware that the current settlement agreement being touted as an “industry agreement” is only as appealing (on the face of it) as it is, as a result of the presence of SAEFA as an independent party in the negotiations.  This settlement agreement cannot be legally extended to non-parties.  We understand that your employees deserve an increase.

Wage Negotiation Advisory No. 21

5 September 2017

The SA Engineers and Founders Association is acutely aware of the pressure building within companies with regard to wage increases.  As previously communicated, we have met with the other employer organisations who are not signatories to any settlement agreement and we have also met with the trade union Solidarity, who want time to consider our proposal of a new entrant wage structure.

No other trade union, apart from Solidarity has engaged with us, as SEIFSA and the unions who have engaged with each other, are intent on extending their agreement on the rest of the industry against our will.  However, it is highly improbable that the Minister of Labour will be able to legally extend this agreement to non-parties.

The SA Engineers and Founders Executive Committee and Negotiating Team will be meeting on Thursday 7 September 2017 at 09h00 to agree on the way forward and a recommendation dealing with wage increases will follow from this meeting.

Wage Negotiation Advisory No. 20

30 August 2017

On 24th August 2017, it was communicated that SAEFA remained committed to negotiating an agreement that was inclusive of all employer bodies and trade unions.

SAEFA has kept to this commitment by continuing with negotiations with the trade unions and will remain on this path to ensure that all willing trade unions have the option of being signatories to an inclusive agreement.

The majority of employer organizations excluded from the SEIFSA agreement are also being engaged at present so that no further fragmentation of the employer caucus happens. The SEIFSA agreement has not been negotiated in the best interests of the industry. The rejection of this deal by the majority of employer organizations is testament to this.

Rebuttal to SEIFSA's email to our members

24 August 2017

The harassment of SA Engineers and Founders members by SEIFSA via email today (Thursday 24 August) needs an immediate response and rebuttal.

Regarding the so-called “shocking decision” by SA Engineers and Founders to defederate from SEIFSA in December 2016, members are reminded that this decision was only taken after extensive discussion with member companies and after SEIFSA had arrogantly refused to engage seriously with our Association on a number of matters which were the cause of serious concern to us.

In his email, the SEIFSA CEO continues to claim that “the vast majority” of SA Engineers and Founders companies have now switched to a SEIFSA member organisation. This is a blatant lie. The facts are that nowhere near the number claimed by SEIFSA have resigned from our Association and furthermore, many companies have since joined.