Steel workers strike over ‘unfair dismissals’
Numsa demanded that SA Steel Mills reinstate 165 workers who were dismissed for participating in a strike on 16 April.
*The story first appeared in the printed version of Ster North.
MEYERTON. – Striking continued outside South African Steel Mills in Meyerton on Tuesday 28 May.
Members of the Nation Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) in the Sedibeng region have accused the company of flouting labour laws and targeting employees for exercising their right to strike.
In a memorandum delivered to SA Steel Mills on Tuesday, Numsa demanded the immediate re-instatement of all 165 workers who the union claims were unfairly dismissed for participating in the protected strike on 16 April.
Numsa also asked for shop stewards to be granted full recognition and full rights so that they can defend workers in the workplace.
Numsa further demands that SA Steel Mills comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, adding that the company “has a notorious reputation for creating unsafe working conditions” and demanded that the company must guarantee safety in the workplace.
In the memorandum, Numsa further demanded that SA Steel Mills pays the full engineering rate to employed engineers, which starts at R59.10 for the lowest paid worker.
Numsa said in a statement that the SA Steel Mills management did not show up to receive the memorandum.
Instead, the company asked for the memorandum to be emailed. The strike has impacted production since 22 May.
A week before, four workers where injured after they were allegedly fired upon with rubber bullets by security personnel.
The police told Ster North that three suspects had been arrested and that they were scheduled to appear in the Vereeniging Regional Court in connection with the incident.
Amelia Berman of Stein Scop Attorneys, on behalf of South African Steel Mills, last week maintained that the strike was unprotected and said that it had resulted in violence and damage perpetrated by Numsa’s members.
According to Berman, this resulted in the dismissal of more than a 100 workers found guilty of misconduct in a disciplinary process.
South African Steel Mills has instructed its legal team to pursue an application for an urgent interdict to stop the violence.
