TMG Digital reports that a three-week strike costing R2 million a day for a cash-strapped company has had dire consequences for workers, namely mass dismissal.  

Hardboard manufacturer Evowood (formerly Masonite) has dismissed 434 workers at its Estcourt mill, which remains closed for now.  CE Louis Marais said the Labour Court issued an interim court order preventing employees from continuing with an illegal strike on 27 February 2017 and on 10 March 2017 issued a final order.  The company acted on the findings of an independent commissioner and on Wednesday it issued a notice to dismiss 434 workers following a disciplinary process related to the illegal strike.  The strike related to a business turnaround plan signed with the workforce in November 2016, which stipulated a reduction of 12% in every employee’s salary from 1 February 2017.  The agreement also stipulated that there would be no retrenchments and was aimed at saving all 733 jobs at the company.  It moreover provided for a minimum 7% wage increase from July 2017.  However‚ a faction within the workforce apparently reneged on the agreement‚ leading to the illegal strike.

• Read this report in full at TimesLive

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