VIDEO: 110 Ballito Junction workers dismissed after illegal strikes

Wage disputes between employees and a construction subcontractor at Ballito Junction have led to 110 people being summarily dismissed amid ongoing illegal strike actions.

Months of disagreements regarding salary, work hours, job safety and training came to a head on Friday morning as Pezula Scaffolding fired the large group of workers due to the staging of two illegal strikes over the past week.

Sipho Mpungose, a former supervisor for Pezula Scaffolding and representative for the dismissed men told The Courier they only want what’s owed to them.

“We are fed up! Since November last year every month on payday there is a problem with the hours they pay us – we want what’s due to us!”

The first illegal strike took place outside the WBHO Construction office in Ballito Drive on Wednesday afternoon and was followed by another at Ballito Junction on Friday morning when the men were handed their last paychecks.

Mpungose said the workers would accept their dismissal as they admitted that they had embarked on an illegal strike, but that they were convinced there were still discrepancies in their final paychecks.

“We admit that we embarked on an illegal strike – but we want what’s owed, we are prepared to be arrested,” he argued as behind him the crowd danced and sang in protest outside the Ballito Junction building site.

Jayson Samuel of Stratfield Recruitment – who sourced the labour, claimed that it was a few ringleaders who convinced the workers to embark on the strikes, saying that the whole matter could have been resolved if only the mediations were given a chance.

“Over the last few days they have downed tools several times, organised these illegal strikes and made numerous threats,” said Samuel.

“We asked the workers to select three representatives to negotiate for them but after doing so they turned around and refused to listen to their representatives.”

Samuel said the logistics of a work site with hundreds of employees meant that naturally there would be a few errors with hour-sheets.

“We have a process for dealing with any errors that arise with hours and salary but it takes a couple of days to rectify. A few men refused to accept this and incited the rest – who were good workers – with claims that we are cheating them.”

The dismissed employees also claimed that workplace safety standards had fallen, that commitments regarding training were not being kept and that deposits weren’t being reimbursed for safety harnesses.

“We meet all safety requirements,” Samuel insisted, “and we have a valid workman’s compensation number.”

The workers allege that they were offered training opportunities for which deductions were later made from their salaries that they did not agree to.

“It was made clear to the workers that we were offering a learnership programme to improve their skills but that there was a charge for this training – it is in their contracts,” responded Samuel.

He also said deposits for safety harnesses were not being paid back to certain employees as they had gone through more than one safety harness – for which the company paid.

“What’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong – we meet all requirements and have honoured their contracts, but we are losing time on the building site and cannot go on this way.”

Meanwhile several of the protesters told The Courier that they believe they will be replaced by migrant workers from Gauteng.

“They are going to get Jo’burg guys to work here for peanuts,” one of the fired men shouted, “If we see them – we will burn them!”

WATCH: Strikers sing and dance in protest outside Ballito Junction.

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