BusinessLive reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) faces a R1m fine, and its general secretary Irvin Jim might have to pay R100,000 personally, if an interim Labour Court order that found them in contempt is made final.
The court ruled on the Plastics Converters Association of SA’s (Pcasa’s) urgent application on Friday, following a previous interdict against the use of violence and intimidation by Numsa members during its lawful strike. Union members are accused of using petrol bombs, damaging property and assaulting an employee. Pcasa CEO Johan Pieterse said the union was also expected to face a damages claim. The association is still quantifying the destruction caused to property during the strike, which he claimed was already in excess of R70m. The strike officially started on 15 October, and two days later the Pcasa unsuccessfully attempted to have the strike declared unlawful. But on 19 October, the court granted an interim interdict preventing Numsa, its members and supporters from taking part in or instigating ‘‘unlawful behaviour’’ involving any property or infringing the rights of any staff member or visitor to the premises of Pcasa members. The association approached the court on Friday to ask that Numsa, Jim and Vusumzi Mabho, the union’s national co-ordinator for the plastic industry, be found in contempt of court. On an interim basis, the court ruled in Pcasa’s favour and imposed a fine of R1m on Numsa and R100,000 separately on Jim and Mabho. If Numsa, Jim and Mabho cannot show cause as to why the order should not stand, they will have to pay up.
- Read the original in full of this report by Claudi Mailovich at BusinessLive
- See too, Truck set alight during plastics protest in Isando, at News24
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page