The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) is today (Wednesday) concluding its two-day National Executive Committee meeting which deliberated on major issues pertaining to the changing political outlook in the midst of the worst global economic slump our history. 

While consolidating its own strategies in an effort to counteract the enormous depth and scale of the job losses, resultant short times, and ultimate shut down or liquidations of several plant operations and negative effects of family breakdowns thereof, the union believes it should not take this challenge lying down.

Numsa also noted that some employers, whether it is desired or not have seemingly jumped on the band wagon by prematurely declaring bankruptcy and insolvency in order to reduce their workforces when it became clear that the country is not insulated from the global crisis.

At the same time the extent of the crisis affecting our vast economic sectors in the aftermath of the financial crash in US and European markets, instilled us with the belief that the current macro economic framework in the country has stimulated the job destructions.

Since July last year a total of 32 000 employees were affected by short-time in the engineering sector, with almost 3 000 effectively laid off and 12 more companies closed down.

The motor manufacturing, components and allied retail services have meanwhile retrenched more than 36 000, according to data collated in conjunction with the metal and engineering bargaining councils.

The car manufacturers are also the worst affected by the short-time, downgrading of the employment benefits and intensive negotiations taking place over retrenchments and the need to retrain the affected metalworkers.

While the union stands opposed to all forms of exploitation, including playing tricks by the employers to hoodwink our members into accepting voluntary retrenchment packages, but we are more worried about our members employed on contracts who bear the most brunt in the jobs bloodbath because they lose their jobs without any form of the retrenchment pay packets.

In this context, the NEC has resolved to call for a moratorium on further retrenchments to ensure that any contemplated government interventions, indeed secure the future of the auto and other industries, and thus advance the best interests of metalworkers in general and broader society.

Numsa is also demanding that;

Numsa is also in the process of finalizing its plans for the forthcoming job security conference scheduled for March 12-14, 2009.

Its objective among others is to raise levels of consciousness on the current crisis and its consequences.

Industry captains and senior government were expected to make inputs, together with civil society formations also adding their proposals on the labour revised programme to resolve the jobs crisis.

The union further believes that our industrial strategy should be more people focused, in order to speedily address this emergency, and consequently ensuring the strong developmental agenda took priority over other agendas, with more emphasis on employment creation, poverty alleviation programmes and employment equity.

Also informed by the decision of the previous central committee that committed Numsa to a campaign that will ensure a decisive victory for the ANC in the general elections, the NEC also reported back on advances made by regions and the message taken to the metalworkers membership.

The following audiences were identified as requiring specific messages in addition to the central message:

While our membership data shows that under-29s constitute 7% of our membership, the figure is definitely higher in auto assembly plants.

The focus groups will allow young workers to say themselves what will appeal to their peers in these elections.

For further information contact:-

Cedric Gina, Numsa national president 0836335381 or

Karl Cloete Numsa deputy general secretary 083389077

Source

Numsa News