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BL Premium reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has embarked on an indefinite strike at Bidvest SA Container Depot (SACD) in Durban over the retrenchment of 106 of its members.
Bidvest SACD, part of the Bidvest Group, provides cargo and container management as well as supply chain management services. Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said the strike came after the parties “couldn’t find each other” during a section 189 process dealing with retrenchments, which started soon after notice was served on the union on 27 September. “The reason they gave for restructuring was ‘the significant downturn and loss of business activity as a direct result of intense market competition, resulting in the under utilisation of warehouse services’. It also cited the challenges affecting the national port system, as some of the reasons given,” Hlubi-Majola indicated. She added that during the consultation process it “became clear that Bidvest wanted to outsource the work of the SACD.” Hlubi-Majola commented further: “Numsa is opposed to outsourcing because that will result in workers losing out on benefits and conditions, which they obtained as permanent employees. It also means a reduction in wages, and so we rejected this as a proposal. Bidvest would not consider other alternatives, only retrenchments. Workers were served with dismissal notices stating that their last day would be January 31.” A Bidvest SACD HR officer said they have a skeleton staff on site.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
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