NUMSA presses General Motors to pay fair compensation for all workers that it retrenched unfairly.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is pressing ahead for fair compensation to all workers who suffered unfair retrenchments from General Motors South Africa (GMSA). This follows the Johannesburg Labour Court (LC) ruling on 17 June 2009 in which the retrenchments initiated by GMSA in April 2009 were ordered to be procedurally unfair. The LC shall determine the amount of compensation to which the retrenched workers are entitled.

NUMSA wants compensation to the retrenched workers to cover at least the wages they would have earned had they not been unfairly retrenched, and the losses they have incurred as a result of GMSA’s procedurally unfair retrenchments.

In its malicious conduct, GMSA also demoted a number of team leaders who were categorically told that if they don’t agree to be demoted they shall be retrenched. NUMSA demands that these team leaders must be reinstated back to their previous employment levels with full benefits.

GMSA misinterpreted the 17 June 2009 Johannesburg LC ruling, basically seeking to exclude from compensation other workers that it unfairly retrenched, and to continuing with unfair retrenchments. Following this NUMSA and GMSA presented their arguments in the Durban LC today, 24 June 2009 for the interpretation of the Johannesburg LC ruling. The same Judge who heard the matter in Johannesburg, Justice Van Niekerk will on Monday 29 June 2009 deliver a judgement on interpretation in the Durban Labour Court.

NUMSA shall pursue GMSA to the end in ensuring that this company observes the rule of law. The same shall apply to other companies that want to join the ranks of bad employers.

For further information contact

Alex Mashilo, 082 9200 308 Numsa Spokesperson Issued by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa