The steel and engineering industries federation seifsa
Wage deal expected to see engineering workers get 7% increase in 2017
Unions had threatened a strike last month after talks over their demand for wage hikes of 15%.
Over 3,000 jobs are on the line and the companies are expected discuss to how to mitigate this.
It’s unclear whether a deal between Seifsa & Numsa will be extended to companies who haven't signed it.
Neasa says extending the deal will mean firms won't be able to afford to keep workers.
The lockout includes a handful of companies that refuse to accept a wage deal signed by Numsa and Seifsa.
Neasa has refused to hike wages by 10 percent, saying it can only afford to offer a 7 percent increase.
The employers association says it cannot match the 10 percent hike brokered between Numsa and Seifsa.
The union says it has 'every intention' to challenge the legality of Neasa's lockout.
Vavi says bosses are greedy for rejecting the wage settlement brokered by the Minister of Labour.
Numsa is expected to file court papers next week to force Neasa to match the 10 percent pay increase.
Neasa refused to sign a wage agreement even after Numsa had signed one yesterday.
Numsa is warning that pickets will continue at companies where a deal has not been reached.
Neasa says it will not be bullied into implementing Numsa's wage agreement.
Numsa on Monday accepted a three-year wage deal after a month-long strike.
The employer body says the new wage agreement is not representative of its members.
The metalworkers union yesterday announced an end to its almost month-long wage strike.
An estimated 200,000 Numsa members have been on strike since 1 July.
The union’s national executive members met this afternoon to discuss the strike.
The union has raised a potential sticking point in the employer offer.