MAIN STORY
Evraz crisis: Company announces retrenchment process – Solidarity
By Inge Strydom
Evraz Highveld Steel outside Emalahleni (Witbank) this week announced in a section 189 notice that it was planning on retrenching up to 1089 employees. This follows after the company was placed under a business rescue programme in April this year and the company has already begun to suspend its non-core operations. Several employees have also been placed on short time or have been temporarily laid off.
According to Solidarity Deputy General Secretary Johan Kruger, Solidarity will participate in the consultation process with the employer in order to mitigate the impact of the process on its members. The trade union also addressed a letter to the largest commercial banks requesting them to show consideration for the financial difficulties that Evraz employees are currently experiencing.
“Employees will experience increased cash flow problems that will make it difficult for them to pay all their creditors – not only bank loans, but other obligations such as house rent as well. Solidarity therefore calls on the banks in the Witbank area as well as other creditors of Evraz employees to take into consideration that these workers’ current financial situation was not of their own making,” Kruger said.
Solidarity believes that urgent industrywide intervention is needed in the metal industry to protect thousands of workers against possible retrenchment. Therefore, in the coming weeks, the trade union will hold probing discussions with various role players in the metal industry to explore solutions for the crises currently experienced in the industry.
“Among other things, we will propose that the local manufacturing sector and construction industry should only make use of domestic steel producers in order to support the local steel industry. In addition, we will also propose that the steel industry should be exempted from winter electricity tariffs while the industry is recovering,” Kruger said.
Solidarity represents approximately 400 of Evraz Highveld Steel’s 2242 employees.
STORY 1
Workmen Compensation Office responsible for serious infringements upon human rights
By Inge Strydom
The trade union Solidarity considers a number of steps, including approaching the Human Rights Commission. The Workmen Compensation Fund’s failure to render proper service to workers suffering from occupational injuries or illnesses undermines their fundamental constitutional rights, such as access to social security and dignity.
Solidarity will also request the Public Protector to accelerate her investigation on the Workmens Compensation Office and to send a recommendation to the Human Rights Commission. This follows after yesterday’s announcement by the South African Medical Association (SAMA), who represents thousands of doctors, that patients with occupational illnesses and injuries will not be treated if they do not pay beforehand, unless the loss of lives or limbs becomes a threat. SAMA’s decision is based on the Compensation Fund’s failure to pay the medical bills of patients suffering from occupational injuries of illnesses, valued at millions of Rands.
“Our biggest concern is that employees, who have to deal with the trauma of serious occupational illnesses and injuries on a daily basis, will now be left even more vulnerable. These people have often already lost their ability to generate an income”, Advocate Paul Mardon, Head of Solidarity’s division for Occupational Health and Safety and Injuries on Duty said.
“The purpose of the Compensation Office is to support these people so that they will be able to enter the labour market again, or to support people who will never be able to work again. Due to the total collapse in the service delivery, the support cannot be offered and consequently the situations of these people deteriorate further on a daily basis. They do not receive their compensation from the Compensation Commissioner, fall into account arrears and are now not even able afford the medical treatment they need to land on their feet again. The result is that many of them simply falls deeper and deeper into a rut of debt”, Mardon explained.
In the meantime, the former Compensation Commissioner, Shadrack Mkhonto, has been “promoted” to Executive Officer at the Department of Labour, while Vuyo Mafata, financial head of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, is now acting Compensation Commissioner.
“Mafata was supposed to submit a turnaround strategy for the Compensation Office’s function within a month of his appointment and a permanent appointment must be finalised already by the end of August. However, there is no plan yet and the position of Compensation Commissioner has not, according to our information, even been advertised officially. We are still willing to provide input and will submit the proposals to Mafata, we have already submitted repeatedly to Mkhonto”, Mardon said.
STORY 2
Chamber reacts positively to Solidarity’s demands
By Francois Redelinghuys and Inge Strydom
Trade Union Solidarity last week received a positive reaction to some of its main demands from the Chamber of Mines at this year’s wage negotiations in the gold industry. They include, among others, the union’s demand that above- and underground workers’ retirement age be raised to 63.
Gideon du Plessis, general secretary of Solidarity, is of the opinion that the Chamber’s conditional acceptance of Solidarity’s demand with regard to the retirement age is a positive development for both the union and the industry as a whole. “We are satisfied with the Chamber of Mines’ undertaking to investigate the changes as far as the retirement age is concerned because it will contribute to retain valuable skills and knowledge in die mining industry,” Du Plessis explained.
The Chamber also indicated that houses owned by the mines will be sold to the workers at a lower amount than the municipal and market value. Solidarity welcomes this offer and believes that it will be easier for workers to procure assets in future.
According to Du Plessis, the union is however disappointed that the Chamber made no adjustments to the salary increase offer. “It is of the utmost importance that all parties in the wage negotiation process commit themselves to move closer to the settlement arena,” Du Plessis said.
The Chamber moreover indicated that it will urgently investigate Solidarity’s proposal that prospective artisans in the mining industry must receive their training at the union’s tertiary technical training college, Sol-Tech, in future.
The Chamber further emphasised today that Solidarity is the only union who commits itself to the sustainability treaty entered into by the Chamber. “Apart from the fact that the negotiations is heading towards a dispute, Solidarity remains committed to the negotiation process,” Du Plessis said.
STORY 3
Solidarity wants to limit impact of Kumba retrenchments at Thabazimbi Mine
By Inge Strydom
Trade union Solidarity this week regretted the intended retrenchment of 800 permanent and 360 contract employees at Kumba Iron Ore’s Thabazimbi Mine, but confirmed that the mining company could not do much to avert the retrenchments. The trade union, however, announced that it was still going to do everything in its power to limit the impact of retrenchments on its members to the minimum.
The mine today announced the closure of the mine and the retrenchments following the collapse of an embankment at the mine last month made it impossible to resume operations. “The South African mining industry is experiencing tough times. During the past 15 years, the closure of this specific mine has been averted 6 times, but last month’s events came as the proverbial mail in the coffin of the Thabazimbi Mine,” Solidarity spokesperson Moira Kloppers said.
Solidarity maintains that job security should be protected at all cost. Kumba Iron Ore is a Business Unit within the greater Angol American Group and retrenchments could be reduced by investigating the possibility of re-deploying Thabazimbi employees elsewhere within the larger organisation.
Solidarity will meet with the employer as soon as possible to discuss alternatives to retrenchments.
STORY 4
Solidarity invites Amcu to continue negotiations
Trade union Solidarity today extended an invitation to Amcu (Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union) to continue its participation in negotiations in the gold sector. This comes after Amcu finds itself outside the bargaining forum at the moment after having declared a dispute with the Chamber of Mines last week.
According to Solidarity General Secretary Gideon du Plessis, it is essential that all trade unions participate in negotiations to ensure that collective bargaining in the sector is promoted. “It is important that Amcu returns to the talks so unions could further negotiate as a unit,” Du Plessis said.
Solidarity furthermore appeals to the Chamber of Mines to bring a favourable revised offer, which addresses the needs of all trade unions, to the table. “At this critical stage of negotiations it is key that the Chamber comes up with a favourable revised offer to continue the current negotiating process,” Du Plessis said.
During the fourth round of negotiations today, Solidarity motivated a reduced wage demand of 11% to the Chamber. The trade union’s previous demand for miners, artisans and officials was 12%. Solidarity is still calling for the retirement age of above ground as well underground workers to be upped to 63.
Solidarity today also demanded that the housing allowance be increased for all employees. A further demand was that companies offer houses owned by the companies to their workers at prices less than market value. “The banks categorise miners in a high risk category and lower house prices will ensure that employees obtain loans easier,” Du Plessis explained.
Solidarity once again stressed that the Chamber has to address its demand for equality in terms of workers’ choice of medical aid schemes.
STORY 5
Buying a home? Know which questions to ask
Whether buying your dream home or a fancy new set of wheels, doing your homework upfront and knowing what questions to ask is essential to prevent any surprises down the line. Bond originator Ooba gives some tips:
Assess what you can afford
The question of affordability is an obvious one and very important to bear in mind from the beginning. In addition to thinking about the deposit, you also have to consider the monthly bond repayments and whether you will be able to afford keeping your property in a good condition.
A good place to start is to get prequalified; this will give you an idea of what you can afford. Before signing off on the property, do a spot check to ensure that, should you have to do renovations, this has at least been accounted for in the asking price.
Ensure that the location suits your lifestyle
Location is crucial in ensuring that your home fits your lifestyle. It is important to consider the following factors when thinking about the area you are buying in: how far is it from your work, is the property situated in a developing area where the resale value increases at a considerable pace and, lastly, is the neighbourhood safe?
Gather a history of the property and area
Do some research on the property and area; find out how long the property has been on the market and how long the current owners have been living there. If it’s possible, speak directly to the owners to find out why they are moving, just to make sure there is nothing wrong with the property. Also approach neighbours to get an idea of what their experience of the area has been. All this information should answer the question of whether the property is a worthwhile investment?
Get the required certificates
Ensure that all your compliance certificates have been issued by an authorised independent contractor; these include the electricity, plumbing, gas (if there is gas on the property) and extra’s such as the electric-fence certificate. The last thing you want once you have moved in, is a nasty surprise with regard to compliance issues .
STORY 6
Coal wage negotiations: Solidarity rejects initial offer
By Francois Redelinghuys and Inge Strydom
The trade union Solidarity rejected the offer of a 4,6% salary increase made by the Chamber of Mines at the coal wage negotiations last week. Solidarity expressed its discontent with the Chamber’s low initial offer as it will prolong the negotiation process unnecessary and this after the negotiations has already been delayed several times.
“We request the Chamber to revise the offer so that the negotiations can continue in a constructive way,” Deon Reyneke, Head of Solidarity’s Energy Industry said. “The Chamber must focus on a combined offer which include all the mine houses because it is necessary to promote collective bargaining in the industry”, Reyneke mentioned further.
Reyneke also expressed hope that the Chamber of Mines will consider Solidarity’s demand to raise the retirement age of above-ground workers from 63 to 65 and that of underground workers from 60 to 63. “The Chamber already conditionally approved the raise of the retirement age of workers in the gold sector. We demand that this positive step will also be taken in the coal sector”, Reyneke explained.
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Features of leftist ideology summarised
The leftist movement in the world has a set of uniform principles applied everywhere with small differences in emphasis. These principles are more important to them than reality. They would therefore not adapt their principles to reality, but rather try to press reality into their ideological straitjacket. This explains why leftists over and over make the same mistakes. Their ideological idol cannot possibly be a false god; rather reality is wrong and should therefore be transformed to fit into their ideology.
For socialists Marx is the messiah; Lenin is Paul; Das Kapital is the Bible; the ultimate socialist workers’ paradise is heaven; democracy is the first step towards socialist salvation; capitalists are the devil; the inequality that results from privately owned is sin; the party is the church; party officials are priesthood; dissidents are heretics; the concentration camp is hell; and the class struggle represents the struggle between good and evil. The main feature of socialism is that it is an aggressive ideology which opposition could lead to a ‘holy’ war and where the utopian goal justifies the extreme methods.
The features of leftist ideology are the following:
1. Inequality
Inequality is the core problem for leftists, not poverty. At the root socialism is an ideology of equality. To them equality is not treating everyone equally, but making everyone and everything equal. Therefore, it rather is an ideology of equalization with which they want to force everyone to reach the finish line at the same time instead of giving everyone an equal start.