The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) will be embarking on a strike at ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) because the management is dismissing workers just before Christmas. At least 107 workers have lost their jobs due to retrenchment, following the closure of Coke Making Battery 6 and 7. NUMSA has issued a strike notice to the company and it begins on Thursday the 14th of November.
Our members have been provoked into striking following the conclusion of the section 189 process. On the 5th of November AMSA rushed to issue notices of dismissal, and it refuses to engage on alternatives. It has not disclosed if there are vacancies to absorb some of these workers, and refuses to entertain the possibility of Voluntary Severance Packages for those workers who are older, and may be interested in early retirement.
AMSA has no regard for workers. Workers are just commodities, they are not viewed as human beings. The management is driven by greed hence the callous decision to coldly dismiss over 100 workers just before Christmas. They have effectively cancelled Christmas for these employees by rushing the retrenchments, thus deepening the misery for their families as well. We worry that many of these workers may struggle to find employment in the near future because of the economy.
Their refusal to discuss alternatives is disturbing because it means they do not care at all about the suffering of employees.
Our members will be picketing at the company premises on the first day of the strike and the media is invited. Details below:
Date : Thursday 14 November
Time : 10:00 am
Venue : ArcelorMittal South Africa Delfos Blvd, ArcelorMittal Vanderbijlpark Works, Vanderbijlpark, 1901
The only weapon we have is to withhold our labour which will impact on production. We have been backed into a corner and we must defend our jobs. We must remind the management that their immense profit is because of the sweat of employees.
We call on all workers to unite behind their demands so that they can defend their livelihoods.
Workers are under attack and the most powerful weapon the working class has is its labour power in order to defend its gains.
Aluta continua!
The struggle continues!
Issued by Kabelo Ramokhathali
Sedibeng Regional Secretary
083 461 5918
For more information please contact:
Phakamile Hlubi-Majola
NUMSA National Spokesperson
0833767725
NUMSA Head Office number: 0116891700
NUMSA Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/NumsaSocial
NUMSA Twitter account: @Numsa_Media
NUMSA Website: https://numsa.org.za/
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