Negotiations in the protracted strike by metalworkers in Port Elizabeth’s Hi Tech Automotive car racing manufacturer continued to flounder as strike entered its eighth week.
More than 400 members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) went on strike in the Greenbushes car plant outside Port Elizabeth early in August 2007, to demand union recognition.
Failed talks between Hi Tech management and Numsa were facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
The company owner, Jimmy Price has since remained “obstinate and uncompromising” in rejecting consultations with union officials with the intention to address union demands despite the fact that the company’s export operations ground to a virtual halt.
For the past five years the company refused to recognize the union though it had more than 52% majority of Numsa members.
The management, notorious for its union bashing approach allegedly outsourced some operations to labour brokers and retrenched more than 150 workers in three days after the growing union membership was brought to its attention in 2004.
Some of the retrenchees were reportedly recalled when the company required their services just to train white employees. Those newly employed white workers in turn were supported by black part -time assistants who were also employed as cheap labours, in replacing those retrenched for joining Numsa.
Other union demands include reduction of working hours from 44 hours to 40 hours a week, in a period of four years, 13th cheque annual bonuses and equal pay for equal work.
The company owner has time and again insisted that he was prepared to set up a liaison committee to negotiate for both Numsa and non- unionized employees under his control.
Hi Tech management has been advised to file an application for exemption and submit its audited statements indicating inability to meet financial demands for payment of the 13th annual bonus cheque.
Numsa also planned to embark on solidarity protest action next week to resolve the strike entering its seventh week at Willard’s Battery also in Port Elizabeth.
Ford Motor company shop stewards had been approached to refuse handling Willard’s batteries which were supplied to the company. The strike was triggered by threatened retrenchment of 183 Numsa members after the company bought new machinery.
Numsa is demanding retrenchment packages equivalent to three weeks pay for each year, while the company insisted on payment of two weeks wages. The talks remained deadlocked in the conciliation under the auspices of the CCMA
For further information contact:
Mziwakhe Hlangani, Numsa national spokesperson
Cell phone: 082 9407116
E-mail : mziwakheh@numsa.org.za