The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa on Tuesday declared a dispute at the Volkswagen South Africa manufacturing plant in Uitenhage over an incentive scheme and what it calls unilateral outsourcing of the packing department at the parts-distribution division at Roodekop in Gauteng.
The packing department has been outsourced to a labour broker.
The trade union claims the company has failed to resolve the dispute amicably and workers are considering embarking on a strike.
Numsa added that a strike will be inevitable following failure by the company to address the issues under dispute.
“Workers want to get the share of the profits if the company reaches certain production targets. This will motivate the workforce and increase the performance of the company,” Numsa spokesperson Dumisa Ntuli noted.
Ntuli pointed that it is necessary to improve performance-based award systems for workers to be effective.
“Workers complain that the current performance award system does not support their development.”
The trade union argues that it does not find genuine reasons for restructuring internal operations because most of the workers have the necessary skills and experience to do the job.
“The packing department is the core business of the company. It should not be outsourced. Certainly outsourcing does not in all instances result in radical transformation and efficiency of operations,” the union said.
Attempts to get a response from Volkswagen South Africa proved fruitless. — I-Net Bridge