The two-week strike by close to 3 000 members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) at Delta Motor Corporation’s assembly plant in Port Elizabeth over the company’s sick-leave policy will effectively come to an end on Tuesday.
Numsa spokesperson Dumisa Ntuli said this comes after the workers modified the new proposals made by the company last week.
The two parties agreed that no disciplinary measures would be taken against workers for taking sick leave within a period of 30 days as stipulated in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.
Numsa and the company agreed that within a 30-day period workers would undergo counselling and the union would be directly involved in the process.
Other agreements include that after a 30-day sick-leave cycle workers would be subjected to two counselling sessions before disciplinary measures are taken. In case of incapacity the parties will use the Labour Relations Act as a reference. The company and the union agreed to establish support systems for workers with the incapacity to work.
“The decision to return to work is critical and signals a major breakthrough. The workers’ general meeting on Monday was very constructive. The proposals received support from the workers.”
Ntuli said the union was delighted that workers would not be disciplined before the 30-day sick-leave cycle.
“The company will not take unilateral decisions but follow the procedures in terms of the law. After all, that is what we wanted to achieve.”
He added that the importance of the strike was to promote fair working environment and the dynamic nature that workers are entitled to sick leave.
“The union will favour a situation where the policy would not have potential costs for workers. So far we have been able to close the gaps in relation to sick-leave policy and concentrated on what is best for the company,” Ntuli said.
The company said it would respond to the deal with the union later on Monday. — I-Net Bridge