OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 2.30pm.
SEVERAL thousand Iscor workers who downed tools on Wednesday morning in protest at a management bonus returned to work by midday. It is thought the unions involved have instead chosen a legal route to resolve the dispute.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, National Union of Mineworkers, the Mineworkers’ Union and an alliance of small unions declared a dispute shortly after resuming work.
Iscor spokesperson Carol Ferguson said the company will refer the dispute to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration. Ferguson said only the Vanderbijlpark plant was involved in the downing of tools on Wednesday morning. Vereeniging and Newcastle plants were not affected. She said there had been minor disruptions to production as a result of the action.
Workers started informal protests on Monday after learning that top management is set to share out an R8,4-million bonus, while 6000 workers face retrenchment. They are now demanding Iscor pay them 30% production bonuses.