Strike moves to Randburg

Boitumelo Mmakou

boitumelom@caxton.co.za

A sea of red T-shirts was be seen moving towards the Retail Motor Industries Organisation (RMI) head office in Randburg on 9 September.

Marching petrol attendants met with the CEO of RMI to hand over their memorandum. National Union of Metal workers South Africa (Numsa) deputy general secretary Karl Cloete said the attendants were striking because they wanted an increase and better benefits. Cloete expressed his concern over petrol attendants who work at night and may be more likely to be robbed or killed while on duty, and do not get paid enough for the extra hours.

“Strikes took place in Johannesburg and Cape Town. We are in negotiation to be paid at least R6 000 a month as opposed to the salaries we are currently receiving,” said Cloete. In receiving the memorandum the CEO of RMI Jakkie Olivier said, “We were given 48-hours' notice about the strike so we were well aware that it would go ahead. The strike will hopefully end soon.”

Moving on from RMI offices, the strikers then made their way to the Motor Industry Bargain Council (MIBCO) Highveld branch on Oak Avenue to hand over a second memorandum. The union members awaited to receive word from Numsa's general secretary Irvin Jim, who highlighted the issue of workers being undermined by employers. He further underlined how workers need to fight for better working conditions and speak out, reminding the workers not to live in the conditions they were subjected to during Apartheid, and to fight for equality in the workplace.

Chief of Fuel and Retailers Association Reggie Sibiya ,who accept the memorandum on behalf of MIBCO said, “We want the matter to be sorted out as soon as possible. We will be giving the memorandum to our principals and hope this can be resolved.”

Suspended general secretary of the Congress of South Africa Trade Unions (Cosatu) Zwelinzima Vavi was present. “I am here as a worker. Workers have to fight for their rights. Workers should no longer talk percentage as this often blinds them into thinking they will get a better pay. They must talk money,” said Vavi.

The memorandum was signed by both employee and employer representatives. The contents of the memorandum will be discussed and a resolution will be released soon after. According to Cloete workers will strike until they are happy with a settlement. “We have been offered a seven percent increase which is not enough. We say no to low wages. We do not want to intensify the strike, however workers will be on an indefinite strike until they are happy with their new increase,” concluded Cloete.