Numsa heads to court over retrenchments at Barloworld Equipment
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) is heading to the Labour Court to apply for the immediate reinstatement of its members at Barloworld Equipment.
Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says the company went against the original section 189 notice and agreement with unions that stated that 750 jobs would be cut.
"The retrenchments have been implemented from the 14th of August, but it is being done in a piecemeal basis and we have no clarity on what the total numbers of employees to be retrenched are.
The names of employees to be affected has also not been disclosed. The company has refused to disclose the numbers and the names of those who will be losing their jobs," says Phakamile Hlubi-Majola.
Numsa believes the retrenchment process at Barloworld does not comply with fair procedures.
Hlubi-Majola says even the consultation process was flawed and alternatives to retrenchment were also not duly considered.
"We have made some of the following submissions to the Labour Court.
LISTEN TO PHAKAMILE HLUBI-MAJOLA HERE:
There was no meaningful consultation on alternatives to retrenchment such as the offering of Voluntary Severance Packages (VSP’s) to all employees in order to reduce the number of affected employees.
VSP’s were not even offered as an option.
"There was no joint consensus seeking on the selection criteria to be utilised for those who were to be retrenched," adds Hlubi-Majola.
The application will be heard in the Labour Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
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