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

Dispelling untruths about the "historic standstill agreement"

4 September 2020

Many of you will have seen propaganda sent out by SEIFSA (below) referring to the adoption of their agreement with the trade unions.  It’s unfortunate (although not surprising), that SEIFSA is once again, being extremely liberal with the truth in this circular.  In terms of sections 31 and 32 of the LRA, in order for an extension of an agreement to occur, the agreement needs to be adopted as an agreement of a bargaining council.  At the Manco of 1 September 2020, SEIFSA and the trade unions proposed that their agreement be formally adopted as an agreement of the MEIBC.  This did not happen.  In fact, the President of the MEIBC did not even allow the matter to go to a vote, as the negotiations which preceded the signing of their agreement did not comply with the MEIBC Constitution.  If you look very carefully, you will notice that the letter actually never says that the agreement has been adopted as an agreement of the Council (as I’ve explained, a requirement of the LRA for extension).  It talks about the fact that the parties (i.e. SEIFSA and the unions) have adopted their agreement.  Well, of course they have – it’s their agreement!  It was “adopted” the minute they agreed!  The reason why they’ve sent this circular out is to create the impression that their agreement has been adopted by the Council (which it HAS NOT) and that it may be extended - something that SAEFA and other employers organisations will not allow.

MA Negs 2020 SEIFSA and Trade Unions Adopt Stand-Still Main Agreement

Wage Negotiations Advisory No. 31

21 August 2020

 

Please see below update following the Main Agreement negotiations that took place yesterday. We have also included a memo that may be used to place on your notice boards for your employees’ attention.

Wage Negotiation Advisory No. 31

SAEFA Agreement

Notice to member company employees - 20 August 2020

Webinar: Raising Capital During COVID - 13 August

6 August 2020

With many otherwise strong businesses suffering as a result of the lockdown, cashflow is more critical than ever.

SAEFA, in conjunction with Succession Capital, will be hosting a complimentary webinar for members on Thursday, 13 August 2020 at 14h00 to help you to access the cash you may need.

 The webinar will cover:

Funding in the form of trade finance, invoice or purchase order discounting, through to working capital or steel inventory finance.

M&A funding if you are considering a sale of all or part of your business, or acquiring another business.

Structures such as the sale and leaseback of commercial property can also be very successful, and SC has the appropriate relationships to facilitate those.

Raising capital through equity by accessing exceptional and diverse providers of equity capital.

Should you wish to participate, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will send you a link to the webinar.

Please note that all discussions are strictly confidential and come with no obligations to continue.

Wage Negotiation Advisory No. 30

30 July 2020

At a CCMA-facilitated wage negotiation meeting held today, Thursday, 30 July 2020, SAEFA motivated its proposals to the parties to the MEIBC.  These were rejected by the trade unions and, shockingly, they advised SAEFA members to rather consider locking out their employees in order to achieve resolution.

The proposals were tabled by SAEFA in May this year to bring about sustainable terms and conditions of employment for employees in the industry:

  1. The ability to implement wage increases on minimum rates of pay and not actual rates of pay, to allow companies to average down the cost-of-labour components of their businesses over time
  2. To provide for a three-year agreement
  3. The revision of the current MEIBC Exemptions Policy, to allow for a more effective and expeditious exemption process
  4. To provide absolute protection against any negotiations over substantive issues from taking place at company level
  5. To ensure that shifts for the purposes of calculating Leave Enhancement Pay (“Leave Bonus”) are only awarded to employees who actually report for work
  6. To allow companies to, by agreement with their staff, work up to 45 hours a week at normal rates of pay
  7. That annual leave be limited to 3 weeks for all new entrants  
  8. The introduction of the following new entrant wage structure of R30.00 / hr at the lowest Grade, in order to:
  • Slow down or stop the rate of decline in the number of job losses in the metal and engineering industry
  • Create employment opportunities, particularly for young people