Mittal Steel SA said on Wednesday night it had not received any official notice of pending Solidarity strikes at several of its plants.
Solidarity indicated earlier it had its ”striking ticket” and would down tools after a pay discrepancy had come to light.
However Tami Didiza, Mittal’s general manager for corporate affairs, said the company disputed that ”a strike certificate issued by the Centre of Dispute Resolution of the Bargaining Council” was valid.
”Mittal Steel SA disputes whether the Bargaining Council had the jurisdiction to consider the dispute,” he said.
”We are of the opinion that the certificate was wrongfully issued.”
Didiza expected the commissioner would issue ”his ruling on this point before Thursday”.
He confirmed that Mittal Steel SA — formerly Iscor — and Solidarity had discussed the working hours of certain staff at the Vereeniging plant.
”The company is not attempting to ‘hide behind’ a three-year agreement which excludes negotiations on any conditions of service that have a cost impact,” he said.
Didiza, in a statement, said Mittal Steel would be ”engaging” with Solidarity… ”with a view to finding a solution”.
However, Solidarity said earlier that some workers were threatening to strike at Mittal Steel in Vereeniging, and may be joined by colleagues at other plants.
”One thousand five hundred of our members in key positions in Mittal Steel may strike soon in several of the company’s plants,” said Johan Pieterse, a Solidarity official.
Solidarity members at Mittal Steel’s Saldanha plant said they intended to strike in sympathy.
”Mittal Steel plants in Pretoria and Newcastle have also signified their intention to join in the sympathy strike,” Pieterse said.
The dispute arose when it was found that workers at the Vanderbijlpark plant work a 45-hour week while being paid for 48 hours.
”This benefit does not apply to workers at the Vereeniging plant,” Pieterse said.
”The discrepancy was brought to the attention of Mittal Steel management and the remuneration of night shift workers at the Vereeniging plant was amended.
”However, no adjustment was made to the remuneration of day shift workers.”
Pieterse said Mittal Steel had found it possible to adjust shift workers’ salaries, and ”millwrights’ remuneration has been amended twice already”.
The problem was exacerbated by the fact that workers from the Vanderbijlpark plant, who were transferred to Vereeniging, continued to receive the higher wage.
”The salary difference for a fitter and turner at the same post level comes to R600 a month,” he said.
According to Pieterse, Mittal was trying to hide behind a three-year wage agreement that remains in force until June 2007.
The Vanderbijlpark plant will not be affected by the strike. – Sapa