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STRIKING NUMSA MEMBERS WILL BE PICKETING ON MONDAY!

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STRIKING NUMSA MEMBERS WILL BE PICKETING ON MONDAY!

15th October 2018

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The Members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) will be on strike on Monday 15th October 2018 to defend the rights of workers in the Plastics sector. At least 10 thousand of our members in more than 450 companies will be embarking on a total National #PlasticsShutdown. Employer bodies in the Plastics sector, National Employers Association of South Africa, (NEASA) and the Plastic Convertors Association of South Africa (PCSA) are driving an agenda to undermine the wages and benefits which generations of workers have fought hard for.
Until 2016, workers in the Plastics sector have been able to receive the same rights and benefits as workers in Engineering. This is because as NUMSA we fought for more than two decades in the Engineering bargaining forum, the MEIBC for workers to get improved benefits and wages.
 
However, the introduction of the Poverty National Minimum Wage by the ANC led government, has given these employers the courage to undermine these hard won benefits. Employers now want to reduce and in some cases remove these progressive benefits. The ANC government has given bosses the courage to exploit and abuse workers even more. First through the introduction of the Poverty National Minimum Wage of R20 per hour and also because they are trying to tamper with the right to strike.
The employers in the sector are attacking workers in the following ways:
•         Grade H, (which is the lowest grade) minimum wage has been reduced from R40 to R20.
•         Leave Enhancement Pay (bonus) has been taken away.
•         They have increased hours of work from 40 to 45 per week and they don’t pay overtime.
•         Leave Entitlement of 4 weeks has been down varied – 4th week if you have 4 years’ service has been taken away.
•         Introduction of Area category – Outlying areas will be paid 10% less than urban areas (JHB, DBN and CPT).
 
These employers have shown that they do not value African life or African labour. They refuse to give them a living wage, or recognise their humanity. Their backwardness is reflected in the changes they are trying to impose on our members, and they act unilaterally and with absolute impunity.
 
Our demand is simple. We are fighting for workers in the Plastics sector to retain the wages and benefits which they fought so hard for. It is unfair and immoral that they should be unilaterally denied these benefits. They are the creators of wealth and deserve a living wage and an improved quality of life.
NUMSA members will be on strike from Monday the 15th of October, 2018 to defend the rights of Plastics workers. We will be picketing at various work places around the country in the following venues:


KwaZulu-Natal
Fibre Wound, Pinetown New Germany
Mpact Plastics, Pinetown
Swan Plastic, Isipingo
Gap Moulding, Pinetown
Johannesburg Polly Oak, 17 Aeroton road, Aeroton
Fluidra Waterlinx, Denver

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Furthermore, our members in KZN will be planning a march to hand over a memorandum of demands to the employers in the Plastics sector.
Details are as follows:
DATE                      : Tuesday, 16 October, 2018
TIME                       : 10 am
VENUE                    : Sanlam Centre Pinetown
DESTINATION        : Pinetown South African Police Station where the representatives from NEASA, and PCSA (Plastics
 
Employer bodies) will be there to receive the memorandum from our members.
For more information, please contact:
Issued by Phakamile Hlubi-Majola
NUMSA National Spokesperson
0833767725
phakamileh@numsa.org.za
 
 
Phakamile Hlubi-Majola
NUMSA National Spokesperson
Twitter: @phakxx
Contact number: +27833767725
WhatsApp: +2783767725
 
 

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