Worker factory takeover on the Reef
Alex Mashilo, Numsa national spokesperson | 09.05.2009 13:54
Press statement for immediate release
May 8, 2009
Debt-ridden bus manufacturer disappears owing staff millions of rands in wage payments and unpaid pension fund contributions.
If you have never experienced workers’ take over of collapsed companies suggestive of the invasion of bankrupt industrial plants in Argentina, come and observe it at Santini bus body manufacturer in Springs, East of Johannesburg, South Africa.
May 8, 2009
Debt-ridden bus manufacturer disappears owing staff millions of rands in wage payments and unpaid pension fund contributions.
If you have never experienced workers’ take over of collapsed companies suggestive of the invasion of bankrupt industrial plants in Argentina, come and observe it at Santini bus body manufacturer in Springs, East of Johannesburg, South Africa.
The controversial bus body manufacturer has disappeared after having subjected employees on three-weeks lay-off, ostensibly to counter global financial crisis which had impacted negatively on its operation.
After repeatedly failing to pay permanent employees their weekly wages since March 2009, and ultimately laying-off staff in short-time, the employer has disappeared into thin air leaving a trail of debts, including pension, unemployment fund and union subscription contributions, the management secretly took away company equipment and furnishers before workers reported for work this week.
Left high and dry, the employees are strongly contemplating the company takeover with immediate effect and run the bus building operation service themselves as they maintained contact with the clients.
When confronted by workers and union officials who caught the management transporting goods out of the company, senior executive Hannes Koetzee, pleaded poverty and urged the union to speak to company lawyers, also alleging that the broke company had been evicted from the premises.
The business owner has played disappearing acts when workers and union officials visited his office to inquire about employees’ wages. Recently, the company was ordered by the Motor Industry Bargaining Council (Mibco) to withdraw the services of the 88 contract workers
employed under the labour broker in favour of 86 permanent employees, some of whom have been employed for more than 20 years in the bus company.
The company had vociferously refused to remove contract workers, saying it owed the labour broker more than a R1 million in unpaid fees.
Even though, the company had reportedly won big tenders from the Gabonese government and Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), it has failed to pay employees’ year end bonuses since last December, 2008.
For further information contact:-
Alex Mashilo, Numsa national spokesperson
http://www.numsa.org.za/
After repeatedly failing to pay permanent employees their weekly wages since March 2009, and ultimately laying-off staff in short-time, the employer has disappeared into thin air leaving a trail of debts, including pension, unemployment fund and union subscription contributions, the management secretly took away company equipment and furnishers before workers reported for work this week.
Left high and dry, the employees are strongly contemplating the company takeover with immediate effect and run the bus building operation service themselves as they maintained contact with the clients.
When confronted by workers and union officials who caught the management transporting goods out of the company, senior executive Hannes Koetzee, pleaded poverty and urged the union to speak to company lawyers, also alleging that the broke company had been evicted from the premises.
The business owner has played disappearing acts when workers and union officials visited his office to inquire about employees’ wages. Recently, the company was ordered by the Motor Industry Bargaining Council (Mibco) to withdraw the services of the 88 contract workers
employed under the labour broker in favour of 86 permanent employees, some of whom have been employed for more than 20 years in the bus company.
The company had vociferously refused to remove contract workers, saying it owed the labour broker more than a R1 million in unpaid fees.
Even though, the company had reportedly won big tenders from the Gabonese government and Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), it has failed to pay employees’ year end bonuses since last December, 2008.
For further information contact:-
Alex Mashilo, Numsa national spokesperson
http://www.numsa.org.za/
Alex Mashilo, Numsa national spokesperson
