NUMSA has announced that its members at ArcelorMittal South Africa will be picketing during the covid-19 lockdown. The picket is set to take place today (Monday, 20 July 2020) in response to a retrenchment consultation process which is underway at AMSA.
In NUMAS’s press-release, it said the following regarding the risks of picketing during the covid-19 lockdown:
“Our members are acutely aware of the risks associated with the covid19 pandemic, but they feel that they have no choice but to resort to protest action. They will picket peacefully whilst adhering to social distancing regulations.”
The complete press release by NUMSA is as follows:
“Members of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) will be picketing at all the offices of ArcelorMittal in South Africa. Our members feel that they must resort to this drastic course of action because of the relentless onslaught that AMSA through the backward management of Kobus Verster the current GCEO, have launched against employees. AMSA is in the process of consulting employees as part of section 189 process, and is contemplating retrenchments. It has also proposed that salaries and benefits must be reduced by 20 per cent as an alternative to retrenchments. We believe that the covid19 pandemic is being used as an excuse to restructure the organization, and render hundreds of workers jobless.
Our members are acutely aware of the risks associated with the covid19 pandemic, but they feel that they have no choice but to resort to protest action. They will picket peacefully whilst adhering to social distancing regulations.
The Picket will take place tomorrow on Monday the 20th of July and will begin at 8 am and memorandum to be handed over by 10 am. Picketing will take place at ArcelorMittal in Sedibeng, Vanderbijlpak, Vereeniging, Pretoria and Newcastle.
Aluta continua!
The struggle continues!Issued by Kabelo Ramokhathali
NUMSA Regional Secretary Sedibeng”
