In our Friday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Thursday, 6 June 2017.
Court interdicts BLF from threatening and assaulting journalists TimesLive reports that the SA National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) on Friday won an interdict against Black First Land First (BLF) to stop the movement from intimidating and attacking journalists reporting on state capture. The court interdict‚ requested at the High Court in Johannesburg‚ was sought by Sanef after the BLF held a demonstration outside the private home of journalist and Tiso Blackstar editor-at-large Peter Bruce and assaulting Business Day editor Tim Cohen last week. The High Court heard arguments from the counsels for the parties on Thursday. BLF founder and leader Andile Mngxitama insisted after the first day of the court proceedings that his organisation would continue to pursue "white journalists" as he believed the media was under white ownership and therefore anti-black. He said the BLF had no desire to attack black journalists‚ but to "free black reporters" so that the media could be free. There were heated scenes outside the court after the interdict ruling. Read this report by Khulekani Magubane in full at TimesLive. Read too, Court interdicts BLF, Mngxitama from threatening and assaulting journalists, at News24. And also, 'White people are going to die with you,' shouts BLF after losing in court, at News24
Mining unions call AngloGold out on job promises made in 2015 BusinessLive reports that, ahead of formal retrenchment talks next week, unions at AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) have demanded that the company should account for its compliance with a pledge it signed in 2015 to preserve or even grow jobs in the sector. AGA announced at the end of June that it planned to retrench up to 8,500 workers at mines that had been "significantly" unprofitable since the beginning of 2016. The first consultative meeting for retrenchment talks is scheduled for 14 July. On Thursday, the unions met and resolved unanimously that before formal talks get under way the company must show its compliance with a 10-point plan for sustainability in the mining sector that was signed in 2015. The plan aimed to curb job losses by finding alternatives to retrenchment or facilitating the sale of distressed assets rather than shutting them. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has decided to fully oppose plans by AGA to retrench. Read this report by Karl Gernetzky in full at BusinessLive Hawks nab Zama Zamas at Harmony Gold's Kusasalethu mine ANA reports that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigations (Hawks) said on Thursday that they had arrested six men for corruption, illegal dealing in precious metals, possession of gold and theft at Harmony Gold’s Kusasalethu gold mine. The illegal miners were alleged to have been operating underground since November 2016. They were arrested, following a tip-off, as they tried to make their way out of the mine just before midnight on Wednesday. A security guard working at the mine was arrested, along with the illegal miners, for allegedly accepting bribes from the illegal miners, commonly referred to as Zama Zamas. Since the beginning of the investigation into the illegal mining activities at Kusasalethu in April 2017 to date, gold bearing material to the value of R150,400 has been seized and a total amount of R73,000. Read this report in full at Business Report. See too, Mine security guard arrested with Zama Zamas, at News24 Large-cap listed miners pay their CEOs top dollar BusinessLive reports that CEOs of JSE-listed large-cap basic resources companies are the highest paid among their peers, despite spectacular share price declines among stocks in this sector over the past decade. A PwC report revealed on Thursday that the CEOs of those companies received a median total guaranteed pay of R23m in 2016, with those in the upper quartile bagging R33.4m. This contrasted with CEOs of mid-cap and small-cap basic resources companies, who received median pay of R8m and R1.7m, respectively. The difference could be explained partly by the fact that large basic resources companies were generally dual listed and so the CEOs were paid in foreign currency. Still, the JSE’s mining index is down more than 24% over five years and more than 43% over 10 years. PwC partner Gerald Seegers noted that shareholders and other stakeholders have argued for more stringent regulations on executive pay, citing the weak link between pay and performance and the need for greater transparency in the way remuneration is determined. Read this report by Hanna Ziady in full at BusinessLive Other labour/community posting(s) in this news category
Gauteng health department agrees to wage deal to end mortuary strike BusinessLive reports that Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa has announced that her department has conceded to mortuary workers’ demands for a better wage deal in order to get them back on the job. This was despite a nearly R11bn funding gap. About 180 forensic assistants went on strike in June, claiming they were underpaid and doing work they were not qualified for. Ramakgopa said her department would at the end of July reverse the remuneration scales of forensic pathology assistants back to those prior to 2010, which were the pre-occupation specific dispensation salary scales. Remuneration would now go up "with retrospective calculated amendments". Before 2010, forensic assistants had four levels of upward job mobility, which were inexplicably removed in 2010. The removal of the top two levels of progression made it difficult for the officers to advance to higher levels of employment and pay. Also, over time, the positions of senior forensic pathology officers who left were apparently not filled. Read this report by Michelle Gumede in full at BusinessLive. Read the DA’s press statement regarding this matter at Politicsweb Gauteng Health MEC apologises to bereaved families following mortuary strike EWN reports that Gauteng Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa says the strike by mortuary workers has resulted in a backlog of at least 150 bodies still needing postmortems. The three-week strike affecting 10 state mortuaries has officially come to an end, meaning that all the mortuaries in the province are now fully operational. Ramokgopa apologised to the aggrieved families for the inconvenience caused by the strike. “We’ll assure that we do everything to expedite these backlogs. We’d also like to express our sincere apologies to the families,” she said, adding that she was confident the postmortems would be done by next Tuesday. Read this report by Masego Rahlaga in full at EWN. See too, Gauteng Health MEC to meet mortuary workers to understand reasons for strike, at EWN Pretoria Zoo gets slapped with 48-hour strike notice, but animals OK TimesLive reports that attempts to avert industrial action at the Pretoria Zoo officially collapsed on Thursday‚ with the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) slapping management of the National Zoological Gardens of SA (NZG) with a strike notice. Zoo spokesperson Craig Allenby said the notice indicated that members of the union‚ which represents about 120 workers‚ intended demonstrating and picketing after the expiry of the 48-hour notice period. He indicated that the unresolved dispute related to an agreement signed in 2009 between the NZG and its various trade unions on the implementation of a seven-day work week. The union is demanding that the agreement be cancelled and that employees be paid overtime for work performed during weekends. Management says it has a contingency plan in place to ensure both the welfare of the animals and the safety of the visitors should the union continue with its actions. Read this report by Sipho Mabena in full at TimesLive
Numsa protests at Transnet in Richards Bay, alleging sex-for-jobs and other violations BusinessLive reports that operations at the Transnet offices in Richards Bay were expected to come to a standstill on Friday as a result of a protest march by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa). At the heart of the grievances of Numsa members are allegations of a sex-for-jobs scheme‚ corruption‚ health and safety violations, and labour brokers. They are also calling for equal pay for equal work as contractors and permanent staff performed the same work for the same amount of hours‚ but permanent staff earned more than the contractors. Numsa members caused chaos in early May when angry port workers used front-end loaders to flip over police vehicles and tear up roadside barriers at the Richards Bay Harbour. Numsa Richards Bay local secretary Charles Mohlala said members would behave this time. Despite the assurance from the union, Transnet has locked machines away. Read this report by Nathi Olifant in full at BusinessLive Job protests interrupt Transnet coal deliveries to Richards Bay ANA reports that Transnet said on Thursday that it had experienced interruptions to its operations on the Richards Bay coal line as a result of violent community protests in certain areas of northern KwaZulu-Natal. According to the logistics company, the protests related to community demands for jobs and business opportunities. The disruption resulted in the suspension of coal line operations. The Richard’s Bay coal line is the country’s dedicated railway line which handles SA’s coal exports by connecting the mines in Mpumalanga with the coal terminal at the port of Richards Bay. The line also moves domestic commodities such as chrome, coke, chemicals and timber. This short report is at Business Report
Numsa warns of imminent metals, engineering industries wage strike Engineering News reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) on Friday warned of an imminent strike in the metals and engineering sector, after the latest round of negotiations reached a deadlock on Thursday. The union is demanding a two-year 15% wage increase across the board, based on actual rather than minimum rates. It is also demanding the extension of any deal to nonparties, including employer associations such as National Employers Association of SA (Neasa). In a meeting at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) on Thursday, employers tabled a revised position covering a three-year agreement and an offer to increase wages on actual rates of pay by 5.3% and by 5.5% on the minimum scheduled rates. Neasa did not associate itself with the offer, while the Border Industries Association did not participate directly in the process. Numsa, along with other unions, rejected the offer. Some unions, however, indicated their in-principle support for certain aspects of the offer and others expressed a willingness to continue to engage with employers. Numsa has now requested a certificate of non-resolution of a dispute, allowing it to strike. It expects an outcome by 15 July. Read this report in full at Engineering News. See too, Numsa threatens engineering sector strike over wage dispute, at EWN Metals and engineering strike would threaten MEIBC's continued existence, says Solidarity Engineering News reports that with wage negotiations in the metals and engineering sector having come to a standstill, trade union Solidarity fears that a resulting strike would jeopardise the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC). Trade unions and employers at the MEIBC reached a deadlock about three weeks ago over wage negotiations in the industry. Further talks in the council came to a standstill on Thursday. According to Solidarity’s Marius Croucamp, a strike would result in a loss of income for the bargaining council, which could bring it to its knees. Croucamp noted that some of the employers offered a 5.3% increase, while employers’ organisations the National Employers’ Association of SA (Neasa) and the Border Industrial Employers’ Association withdrew their wage offers. He went on to indicate: “Although Solidarity asked for a 10% increase, the trade union is determined to ensure the long-term success of the industry and, therefore, it is willing to continue with the wage negotiations.” He urged trade unions and employers to stay committed to the collective bargaining process. Read this report in full at Engineering News. Read Solidarity’s press statement at Solidarity online Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Saftu says ANC policy conference ‘abysmally’ failed to resolve major issues ANA reports that the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) on Thursday said the just-ended African National Congress (ANC) policy conference “failed abysmally to resolve, or even seriously debate, the major issues” facing the country. In a scathing statement, Saftu said the policy conference “confirmed beyond any doubt” the federation’s view “that this once mighty liberation movement has degenerated into a politically bankrupt, faction-ridden shambles”. The five-day policy conference held in Johannesburg ended on Wednesday. The conference was but “a battleground of warring factions, neither of which had any solutions to our economic and social crisis, but were only concerned with strengthening their power within the ANC and the country,” indicated the statement issued by Patrick Craven, Saftu acting spokesperson. Read this report in full at The Citizen. Read Saftu’s press statement at Saftu online
EFF unlikely to be able to rescue jobs of Tshwane’s outsourced guards BusinessLive reports that the EFF is credited with convincing the Joburg mayor to directly employ security guards for the metro from outsourced companies‚ but it appears unlikely that the party will replicate the feat in Tshwane. Solly Msimanga‚ the Democratic Alliance (DA) mayor in the capital city‚ on Wednesday told the EFF’s local leadership that his administration was not in position to employ the more than 3‚000 security guards set to become jobless at the end of July. The guards‚ employed by various companies contracted by the previous ANC administration‚ are stationed at properties owned by the municipality. They have to leave with their employers when the contracts end. In a controversial move‚ Tshwane will start posting its metro police to guard its properties by end of July. A throng of affected guards marched to the municipality’s headquarters last week to demand direct employment. The guards marched to the EFF offices in the city this week, accusing the party of selling them out to the DA-led administration. Read this report by Bongani Nkosi in full at BusinessLive Other internet posting(s) in this news category
JSE aims to retrench 60 employees as it tightens its belt BusinessLive reports that belt-tightening at JSE Limited, the company which operates the Johannesburg bourse, could lead to 14% of its staff being retrenched by the end of 2017. The JSE plans to cut its overheads by R170m by 2019. JSE CEO Nicky Newton-King indicated on in a statement on Friday that, as part of this two-year cost-cutting programme, it was starting a consultation process in terms of section 189A of the Labour Relations Act which might lead to the retrenchment of about 60 of its full-time staff. Besides retrenching staff, the JSE intends to meet its R170m cost-cutting goal by reducing its information technology costs by at least R70m over two years. Read this report by Robert Laing in full at BusinessLive
Public Service Commission to probe Mdluli's protracted disciplinary process EWN reports that the Public Service Commission (PSC) has agreed to the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) request for an investigation into suspended crime intelligence boss Richard Mdluli's very protracted disciplinary process. Mdluli was suspended in 2011 following his arrest on charges related to the 18-year-old murder of Oupa Ramogibe. Since then, he has been earning a full salary with benefits, costing the taxpayer around R8.3 million. The PSC will investigate why, after six years, a disciplinary process has not yet been concluded. DA MP Zak Mbhele welcomed the step, saying it was a clear case of maladministration and a waste of public funds. Read this report by Rahima Essop in full at EWN. Read the DA’s press statement in this regard at DA Newsroom Other internet posting(s) in this news category
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