This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
GroundUp reports that workers, who were fired from the Frimax chip factory in Verulam, Durban, for participating in an unprotected strike last month, are heading to the Labour Court to challenge their dismissal.
It was reported in June that 219 Frimax workers had downed tools on 5 June and were dismissed by the chip producing company soon after that. According to workers, they went on strike after the company had refused to negotiate on internal grievances with their new union, the African Meat Industry and Allied Trade Union (AMITU). They had made several allegations against their employer related to discrimination, mistreatment and withholding wages. But, Frimax argued that it had a closed shop agreement with the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) and that AMITU could not represent them on internal matters. By 29 June, about 93 workers had returned to work and signed an affidavit stating they had been forced to strike by their colleagues. The remaining workers opted to fight their dismissals. But according to the workers, they have been waiting six weeks for the formal dismissal letters from the company, which they need in order to submit a claim with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). On Thursday at the CCMA, the company’s lawyer said that the workers’ union representatives would be notified of the status of the dismissal letters once ready. A date for the Labour Court matter is yet to be confirmed.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Tsoanelo Sefoloko at GroundUp
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page