On Tuesday close to 18 000 workers belonging to the National Union Of Metalworkers Of South Africa (Numsa) will embark on indefinite protected industrial strike action at the Iscor steel division.
Numsa said workers would down tools from 6H00 local time on Tuesday. The strike, which Numsa says is legal in terms of section 64(1) (b) of the Labour Relations Act, will amount to a total withdrawal of labour, according to the union.
Numsa said workers had rejected the following company proposals:
That each worker will receive R500 as a once-off compensation for effects of restructuring;
That the company will give R26 million spread over 18 000 workers as an adjustment.
The union is now demanding R5 000 back pay for the past seven years and salary adjustment for the following grades:
L grade – R2 500 and a maximum of R3 000
K grade – R3 200 and a maximum of R4 000
J grade – R3 700 and a maximum of R5 000
“Workers have a right to strike, as all measures to avoid the strike have been fully exhausted and the company refused to comply with the workers’ demands,” said Numsa representative Dumisa Ntuli.
Ntuli said the strike will be functional and theere will be no normal production.
“The company cannot regulate this right conferred to workers by the legislation. It is common cause that the company was unreasonable and has not been adhering to collective issues of workers.”
The union federation said workers vehemently rejected the company proposals because such proposals do not substantially enhance salaries and address the impact of restructuring and unbundling.
“There was superficial response to the workers’ grievances. There was no will and purpose on the part of the company management to resolve the issues timeously. They have dismally failed to find concrete, practical and meaningful ways to address issues in the past two years.”
Ntuli said the ball was now in the company’s court to reciprocate on the two major demands.
“They have failed to come up with concessions and adjust salaries accordingly. The company also failed to give due consideration to the workers legitimate concern and to guarantee a comprehensive back payment for all workers. There is no significant change of heart to bargain in a fair manner.”
He added the strike will challenge the prerogative of management “to take a
naïve decision not to adjust salaries”.
Numsa said it believes that workers must be protected against the impact of
restructuring.
“It will be an appropriate relief for the company to reward workers what belongs to them. We think that workers are seeking redress because they have been the victims of unfair conduct. All workers should be compensated in a manner that addresses the effects of workplace change.” – I-Net Bridge