This page deals with organising and campaign issues.
This procedure applies to all members and is designed to make sure that complaints and grievances are dealt with consistently. We aim to maintain a high standard and rectify causes of dissatisfaction as quickly as possible.
Please note that this page is not intended to replace established union procedures. When a member has a complaint or grievance, he or she should first discuss the matter with a shop steward. If it is not resolved satisfactorily the member must take the complaint to the local offices of the union to be attended to by the organiser.
If the complaint is still not resolved satisfactorily, the member must report the complaint to the local union offices for the attention of local office-bearers and the local shop stewards’ council. The member must be told of what the local shop stewards’ council has decided on how the complaint should be resolved and who has been assigned to help resolve it. If it is not resolved satisfactorily, the member must report the complaint to the regional offices of the union.
This should be enough for the complaint to be addressed satisfactorily. However, if need be, the member can report the complaint to the organising campaigns and collective bargaining (OCCB) department at head office, which will decide how the complaint should be dealt with.
Throughout all these stages the member must ensure that the time-frames are reasonable and that the complaint is not compromised by delays, as complaints from within the union must be resolved as speedily as possible. Other complaints must be submitted to the relevant bargaining council or the CCMA within 30 days, and this time-limit must be adhered to.
Complaints received from members
Jack Charles Bezuidenhout region: After Panels & Control Ltd was sold to Vital Generator Service Ltd, the workers were only paid bonuses and leave pay for 2012.
They wanted to know about their long service as the old company had informed them that the new owner would pay them in the near future. However, when they approached the new owner, he told them to go back to the old owner and he would pay them.
The union deductions on their payslips did not reflect the name of their union, Numsa, and for them that was a very serious problem. The matter was reported to the local, and according to members nothing happened and they were worried.
An email was sent to the leadership of the region, who promised to look into the problems and report back as soon as possible. The members were told to come back to the OCCB within three weeks if nothing happened on their complaint.
Jack Charles Bezuidenhout region: There was a problem with returns at Trevisfuel, trading as Caltex (Caltex Christiaan De Wet). An investigation was carried out and the new employer was registered.
The agent compiled a take on the returns, including all unregistered employees. The returns, for the period March 1 to December 30 2012, amounted to R89 500.82.
The matter was referred to the industrial council’s legal department, case number ARB37/01/13, and it will be referred to the dispute resolution centre for adjudication.
Elias Kubheka, Numsa’s national motor organiser, will provide an update in the months ahead.
Kwazulu-Natal region: Sylvia Zulu laid a complaint with the Richards Bay local through the Numsa president, who received the complaint from Celiwe Madlopha. Matter is referred to the regional officer Petrus Ngcobo who had not responded by the time of publication. There will be a follow-up on progress and a report-back in the next edition.
Sedibeng region: A letter was sent to the general secretary on January 25 this year complaining about the housing allowance, transport and funeral contribution at CBI Electric African Cables. Members said that the matter was reported to the local and region without result; they wanted to go on a protected strike in September 2011 and had applied for certificate. They also wanted to see the general secretary as soon as possible as they did not trust the local organiser and the region.
The organising and campaigns coordinator responded by forwarding the letter to the regional leadership and requesting that they intervene and deal with the matter. We are still waiting for the leadership to give us feedback on how they have dealt with the matter; hopefully in the next edition of Numsa News we will be able to tell the membership how it was resolved.
Sedibeng region: At AK Engineering workers complained about service they were getting from the Vereeniging local in regard to union introduction, not receiving an increase, the employer using vulgar language, the absence of grades and short time.
The organising and campaigns coordinator responded by referring the matter to a regional office-bearer to intervene and report back to the OCCB as a matter of urgency. We will provide clear feedback once the region has responded.
Jack Charles Bezuidenhout region: Workers complained that Mogale Alloys on the West Rand, was sold and that they were never compensated.
The organising and campaigns coordinator responded by promising that the legal unit would investigate the issue. The leadership of the region was informed and asked for information on the matter.
Mpumalanga region: JM Sibiya, employed at Malalane Toyota, asked us to investigate payment of his pension fund, as he was not happy with what he was given after working for the company as a parts salesman from 1995 to 2004.
The organising and campaigns coordinator requested motor coordinator Elias Kubheka to take the matter up with the council, and we will report back in the next edition.
Eastern Cape region: At SP Metal, Forge and Machine in Uitenhage,Tando, a Numsa member, wrote to the Numsa president complaining about underpayment since April 2012.
The organising and campaigns coordinator referred the matter to the Eastern Cape regional office-bearers to investigate and report back to the unit. We hope to provide Tando with feedback on how to solve the matter in the next edition.
Keabetswe Molokele: Complaints have been received about membership cards and the provident fund annual statement by the metal industries bargaining council.
The organising and campaigns coordinator asks the member to send his/her name, company name, identity number and address so that we can forward the complaint to the sector coordinator to investigate and provide an answer, either in the next edition or as soon as we get clarity on the matter.
Eunice Matumo has complained that Numsa is failing her in overcoming her problems at Danneys Automotive, and that this had led to abuse by the employer at the workplace. She claims that the local and the legal department are not helping her.
The organising and campaigns coordinator telephoned her husband and the matter will be discussed at a meeting involving everybody concerned. The regional office-bearers have been informed about the matter.
Please send your complaints to GeorgeC@numsa.org.za or LetichaJ@numsa.org.za.