OWN CORRESPONDENT, Uitenhage | Tuesday 3.00pm.
VOLKSWAGEN South Africa has given its striking workers at its Uitenhage plant two days to return to work or face dismissal.
This comes after more than a third of the plant’s workforce did not heed calls to return to work on Tuesday — dragging on a week-long illegal strike. VWSA in a statement said management has issued an ultimatum to all employees to return to work.
“Those who do not report for work by Thursday, February 3, will be dismissed without any further warnings or ultimatum.”
Workers downed tools on January 20 in protest against the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa’s decision to suspend 13 shop stewards accused of bringing the union into disrepute.
VWSA estimates the strike is costing it about R25-million in lost turnover a day.
Spokesman Matt Gennrich said that the plant was again unable to resume normal production for the second day on Tuesday because 35% of the workforce did not turn up. On Monday 45% of workers failed to show up.
VWSA was awarded a contract by its German parent Volkswagen AG to supply 50 000 units for export into the right hand-drive European markets. The production of at least 800 units in production for export has been affected by the illegal strike. Volkswagen AG said last Wednesday it would redirect part of its vehicle production earmarked for export from South Africa to European plants with excess capacity.
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