MISA changing negative perceptions about Unions

16 August 2022

MISA, the Motor Industry Staff Association, is changing people’s perception on the purpose of a trade union and single-handedly breaking down the negative stigma unions carry.

This Union managed to double its membership from 23 000 in 2013 to almost 56 000 in 2022.

Martlé Keyter, MISA’s Chief Executive Officer: Operations, says the Union is proud to lead the pathway with its unique approach by continuing to add benefits to provide its members with the best value for money on their monthly contributions.

MISA’s Death and Funeral Benefit for example is the best of all trade unions.

“The traditional approach of Unions to threaten the Employer to strike and force the hand, is outdated and destructive to the Employee. Due to the escalating costs of living, employees cannot afford to go without a salary or face a retrenchment as a result of a strike,” says Keyter.

The MISA story is re-writing history.

Globally, unions are seeing a decline in membership due to numerous reasons.

According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, 58% of Americans feel unions are very bad for the country.

The share of US Employees who belong to a union has fallen since 1983, when 20% of American employees were union members. In 2021 only 10.3% of US employees belonged to a union.

South Africa struggles with a similar tendency. Employees are either not interested in joining a union or are comfortable in accepting their working conditions no matter how bad.

Overall only 23% of employees belong to a union and 77% do not. In the retail motor industry just 26% of employees belong to a union.

Keyter says this makes it easier for employers to unilaterally determine the conditions of employment and wages as they see fit.

“That is why MISA believes in service excellence and value added benefits that are critical to our survival. Unions cannot afford to lose members to rival unions in the same workplace.

“Unions fish in the same pond and must do more to organise the unorganised employees and provide them with service excellence, ” says Keyter.

MISA has geared itself up for the future where automakers and suppliers could lose jobs on a large scale amid the transition to electric cars.

Keyter says these cars require less manual labour and different skillsets than conventional vehicles.

Don’t hesitate. Join MISA, the Intelligent Alternative in the retail motor industry TODAY by phoning (011) 476 3920

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