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14 November, 2024The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) has given notice with effect from 14 November that it is going on strike after ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) announced that it will be retrenching 107 workers from Coke Making Battery 6 and 7.
The strike started with a picket at the AMSA plant in Vanderbijlpark about 70km south of Johannesburg.
With the retrenchments taking place just before the Christmas holidays, NUMSA an IndustriALL affiliate, says AMSA is “demonstrating inhumanity towards workers.” The union says this is evident through its refusal to engage on finding alternatives to the job losses such as giving the workers options for voluntary severance packages and early retirement.
“Only a cruel and uncaring management can toss workers out into the sea of unemployment just before Christmas and this is why they must be strongly condemned! AMSA has effectively cancelled Christmas for these employees by rushing the retrenchments, thus deepening the misery for their families as well,”
said Kabelo Ramokhathali, NUMSA regional secretary for Sedibeng.
According to NUMSA, during the Section 189A consultations, the union disputed AMSA’s arguments. During the engagement which began in August the union was not convinced that job cuts were the only option. Further, the union said AMSA did not fully disclose the information that could assist with saving jobs and finding alternative work for the affected workers. Section 189A of the Labour Relations Act requires the employer to give reasons for dismissals based on operational requirements that are based on the “economic, technological, structural or similar needs of the employer.”
As a result of its reservations, NUMSA said it is worried about future job prospects for the retrenched workers especially under the current harsh economic conditions of high unemployment whose expanded rate, which includes discouraged job seekers is 41,9 per cent.
Additionally, the economy is stagnant with an estimated growth rate of 1.1 per cent and is characterised by poverty, inequality and a decline in manufacturing according to the African Development Bank.
NUMSA also says it is concerned that 200 workers will lose their benefits when transferred to other departments through low wages and the outsourcing of some of the workers core functions during the ongoing reorganization of the Flat Steel Plant. The union says AMSA did not consult NUMSA and was not transparent.
Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub-Saharan Africa said:
“AMSA must consider retrenchments as a last resort and further engage in dialogue with NUMSA to explore job preservation and further protect workers interests.”