TimesLIVE reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) said on Wednesday it had successfully managed to renegotiate for 2,895 workers at Toyota SA to be reinstated after they were dismissed for embarking on an unprotected strike.  

Meanwhile, Toyota SA Motors (TSAM) confirmed in a short statement that the unprotected strike by unionised employees affiliated to Numsa at the Prospecton Plant in Durban had ended.  “TSAM engaged Numsa structures at length, both internally and externally, to come to a resolution.  Agreement has been reached and striking employees are expected to return to work … with no dismissals,” the company indicated.  After going on an unprotected strike relating to a “quality bonus” dispute, the company apparently fired 2,895 employees on 24 January after they refused to adhere to a final written warning issued via SMS.  Numsa’s KZN regional secretary, Mbuso Ngubane, said the union did not support its members going on an unprotected strike because they risked being dismissed, which was exactly what happened.  Ngubane said that since the dismissals, the regional leadership had been negotiating tirelessly with the employer for the workers to be reinstated.  “Eventually (on Tuesday) we managed to come to an agreement with the management and our members have all been reinstated,” Ngubane indicated.  He said all members were expected back at work on Wednesday and no further disciplinary action would be taken against them.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Ernest Mabuza at TimesLIVE

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