Polokwane’s Silicon Smelter wage strike is increasingly making the industrial area like the city of scab labour.
As the strike by 150 metalworkers over wage increase in the Silicon Smelter plant outside Polokwane in Limpopo, entered its second today (Tuesday) the management culture of accessing scab labour has seemingly took over business transformational ethics.
Yesterday (Monday) morning already, scores of unemployed together with former Silicon Smelter employees who took voluntary retrenchment packages immediately filed in rows waiting to be enlisted for piece jobs after the majority workforce joined protest picket lines outside the company as the strike flare up.
“It is something that was never expected, to see former employees selling out and refusing to support the union strike after being beckoned by the management to come and replace other workers on strike,” Numsa chief shop steward Daniel Mudau said.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) members embarked on strike yesterday (Monday) after the union and management deadlocked over wage increase. The union demanded 15% increases while the company insisted on 11% offer.
Mediation talks have also failed to resolve the impasse which started in 2003 when Numsa members consistently demanded higher wage increases in line with minimum levels offered in other smelters throughout the country.
In spite of scab labour brought in to replace striking workers, the union remained unwavering in its commitment to fight and continue with strike until management upped their offer.
For further information contact:
Mziwakhe Hlangani, Numsa national spokesperson
Cell phone: 082 9407116
Sources
Numsa news