OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Friday 12.30pm.
THE Volkswagen plant at Uitenhage ground to a halt on Thursday as workers went on strike protesting the suspension of a group of shop stewards by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa.
The strike, affecting about 300 workers, took place after Numsa’s succesful application for a Labour Court interdict which forces 13 shop stewards to accept their suspension from the union pending a disciplinary inquiry next week, Business Day reports.
Workers went on strike in July last year when the first attempt was made to suspend the shop stewards.
The union suspended eight of the 13 stewards, but workers went on strike demanding that the stewards be reinstated.
The matter was resolved after workers were ordered to return to work when the company obtained a court interdict against the strikers.
More than half the shop stewards’ council resigned after the strike.
In December Numsa again attempted to to suspend the shop stewards, saying that they didn’t accept the union’s authority, acted against its policy and constitution and brought it into “serious disrepute”.
Volkswagen said the interdict requiring a return to work is still valid, as it relates to the same issue.
Volkswagen has been left without shop stewards by the suspensions, and an appeal has been to the union to resolve the dispute.
Numsa is, however, standing fiorm by the suspensions, and said that it will not be held to ransom by a group of “undisciplined shop stewards.”
Numsa also said that it’s decision to suspend the shop stewards is endorsed by all Volkswagen workers.
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