The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa(NUMSA) and other unions rejected the proposal of ArcelorMittal South Africa to slash benefits and wages of workers during their first round of wage negotiations earlier this week.
According to NUMSA,the unions demanded that the workers must get 15% wage increases,1 year bargaining agreement,scrapping of labour brokers and service providers and all workers must be insourced,integration of house main agreement,R5000 for housing allowance,6 months fully paid maternity leave,14 days paternity leave and many other stuff.
The unions are not happy about the stance shown the AMSA management during the negotiations which was way to undermine the workers rights.
NUMSA said AMSA did not respond to our demands.Instead,they made a proposal to slash salaries and benefits.They want to down vary conditions,and reverse all of the gains which workers have negotiated over the years.On top of the outrageous proposals include forfeiting accrued leave and reducing sick leave and other benefits.They want workers to give up all their benefits,and sacrifice themselves and their families,so that executive management and the board can fatten their pockets even further!They are entirely driven by greed.What they are proposing is unfair labour practice,and we reject it with the contempt it deserves.
The NUMSA blames the leadership of AMSA which has proven that does not care about the plight of suffering the workers are enduring in that company.
NUMSA added that we are not surprised that under the leadership of Kobus Vester,AMSA has demonstrated once again,that it has no emphathy and no sympathy for the suffering of its employees.At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic it attempted to impose a 25% salary cut on the workforce.We rejected their attempts and they responded cruelly,by slashing jobs and dismissing workers through a section 189 process.
It look like the ArcelorMittal has defied even court orders which were forcing it to comply with the labour laws of this country.
NUMSA concluded that the management of AMSA are notorious for exploiting workers for their labour and paying them very poorly.The fact that labour brokering,is alive and well at AMSA,despite a court ruling,which NUMSA secured,says a lot about how the management views workers and their families.The constitutional court was clear that labour brokering,which is a modern form of slavery,can only be limited to three months,and thereafter,all temporary workers must be absorbed into the workforce and must receive the same benefits and wages as permanent employees.But AMSA is unapologetic for this brutal practice,even though it is dehumanizing for those who are subjected to it.
Both parties involved are expected to meet again in the second round of negotiations on the 7th of March 2023.