Eastern Cape Regional organiser Samkelo Malangeni has been given a new nickname, Holy Spirit, for his tremendous and undying spirit that he displayed in the recent wage negotiations at Schnellecke management at VW’s Uitenhage Plant.
“We gave him the name for his negotiating tactics and strategies coupled with experience,” said Schnellecke Numsa chairperson Mongameli Hoyi.
Malangeni went back to basics by making sure that clear nd fresh worker-driven mandates were always the order of the day. The June 27 Cosatu national stayaway helped to instigate and rev workers.
But the bosses way of dividing workers failed as workers started demonstrations on the very first day of negotiations and workers from Solidarity crossed the floor to join Numsa.
On the verge of starting their strike, management offered 8.1% for workers earning below R3500 and 6.5% for those earning above R3500.
Hoyi thanked workers for their full participation in meetings and picketing processes whilst they were negotiating while Malangeni slammed Schnellecke management for displaying arrogance and their dirty programme to keep workers’ wages down.