The KwaZulu-Natal National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), a reliable and trusted affiliate of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is deeply infuriated by the failure of Man-Truck ruling oligarchy to resolve the ongoing industrial dispute at its Westmead, South of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
Our members have been on a protected strike since 23 January 2012 amidst the apartheid Bantu Labour Relations imposition on workers by Man-Truck.
The spurious actions by Man-Truck bosses of reneging or undermining a duly signed Collective Bargaining Agreement with the union, is a direct assault of workers’ rights to collective bargaining as promulgated by the nascent democratic state as led by the African National Congress (ANC).
This newly-found total disregard of workers’ rights to bargain, as also personified or expressed by the anti-workers and anti-trade union party the Democratic Alliance (DA), is a threat to workers hard won rights encoded in Chris Hani’s name in various labour legislative laws passed by the ANC of Elijah Barayi.
We strongly believe that these demands by workers can be achieved by Man-Truck, given the fact that Man-Truck has bloated millions of rands in rewarding its executives.
These demands by workers are consistent with the Freedom Charter, the over-arching policy document of our revolutionary ANC which called for work and security for all.
These are our demands:
• We demand an equal pay for equal work with an intention of closing the existing income disparities;
• The Medical Aid and Provident Fund benefits should be extended to all workers as per the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement;
• All workers employed under Labour Brokers and have been working over a period of six (6) months should be employed permanently by the company as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement signed in 2009; And
• All new intakes of workers should not be recruited by Labour Brokers, but must be recruited directly by the company and there must be entitled to all the company’s benefits, such as Medical Aid and Provident Fund benefits.
Our members have been on strike action for three (3) full weeks without any concrete offer or proposal from the filthy rich Man-Truck hyenas to resolve the strike or industrial dispute.
As NUMSA we will intensify our action by calling on other Man-Truck plans to embark on a solidarity strike with the intention of our exerting pressure until our demands are met.
We will never conform to apartheid Bantu Labour Relations at the point of production whilst our members are being turned into slavery conditions.
Contact:
Mbuso Ngubane, Regional Secretary – 079 502 3242
Source
Numsa Press Release