SEIFSA successfully hosted the Metal Industries Collective Bargaining Summit at Emperors Palace on May 24 and 25, 2023. The highly anticipated event brought together nearly 200 delegates from the Metals & Engineering Sector, including captains of industry, union leaders, senior government ministers, and expert analysts. The summit provided a platform for constructive debates surrounding the challenges faced by the sector, with a particular focus on collective bargaining practices that have shaped employer-union interactions over the past 60 years. 

SEIFSA CEO Lucio Trentini highlighted the importance of collaboration between business, labour and Government, emphasising that a well-functioning economy requires policy alignment among all stakeholders. Against the backdrop of a struggling economy plagued by youth unemployment, sub-investment status, stagnant growth, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trentini expressed hope that the summit would lay the foundation for a more collaborative approach to address these pressing challenges. 

The summit featured a lineup of esteemed speakers and panellists from diverse backgrounds, representing business, labour and Government. They engaged in comprehensive discussions on various topics related to the collective bargaining model, labour market stability, economic growth, and the future of trade unions. Key sessions included presentations by prominent figures such the Minister of Employment, Thulas W Nxesi, who examined the implications of declining union representation in bargaining councils, while Afzul Soobedaar, Director at Perispec Consulting, analysed the relevance of the existing central wage bargaining system. 

Other thought-provoking sessions addressed the democratisation of the workplace, the strategic significance of transformation, and the potential for unions to re-emerge as a united force. The summit culminated in a session on the future of trade unions and collective bargaining within an evolving industrial relations framework. 

The Metal Industries Collective Bargaining Summit received substantial support from industry sponsors, including Rand Mutual Assurance, Sanlam Investments, ACTOM, Cachalia Capital, Macsteel, Standard Bank, Ninety One, Mianzo Asset Managers, Camissa Asset Managers, Colourfiled, and Invincible Valves. Engineering News was the official media partner for the event. 

In his closing remarks, Trentini stressed the criticality of open dialogue between decision-makers from business, labour and Government to address the numerous challenges facing the economy. He affirmed that the Metal Industries Collective Bargaining Summit provided a valuable platform to initiate these discussions and pave the way for a brighter future.