The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has denied throwing 105 workers dismissed by Putco under the bus after a settlement agreement was signed on Tuesday night which upheld their dismissal for misconduct during the protests that affected more than 22 000 commuters.
Numsa announced that the settlement agreement reached with Putco would see the implementation of a 6 percent wage increase on 1 October 2022 for all employees who were employed from the 1st of April 2020 and for those who are still employed by the company at the conclusion of this wage agreement.
The increase will not be backdated.
The annual bonus for 2020 will be paid by Putco to all employees who were employed by the company by 1 April 2020, spread equally over a period of 18 months, starting at the end of October 2022.
A once-off payment of R5000 per employee inside the bargaining unit will be paid in two instalments at the end of November 2022 and the end of February 2023 in lieu of back pay for all employees who were in service of the company on 1 April 2020.
In a statement quoting General Secretary Irvin Jim, Numsa's spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said another point was that the dismissal of the 105 workers would stand, but these individuals would have the opportunity to lodge an internal appeal by no later than Friday, 16 September.
"We tried very hard to negotiate for the unconditional re-instatement of the 105 workers who were dismissed. Unfortunately, the employer was adamant that he would not accept them back. What is in the agreement is the only compromise he would accept where they can make representations through an internal process," Hlubi-Majola said.
She said Putco had based its decision on the fact that the work stoppage was unprotected, so that was a very difficult hurdle for the union to overcome. "Sixty-five of the 105 workers are Numsa members, and we will defend them. If we do not succeed through the internal process, we will explore other avenues which are available to us in terms of the Labour Law," she said.
Putco spokesperson Lindokuhle Xulu said with regards to the matter concerning the 105 dismissed workers, Putco was not willing to budge and the workers remained fired.
“The 105 people that were dismissed from Putco’s employ remain dismissed, and we are not backing down on that. As a company, we have done the due process, and there is enough evidence they have done gross misconduct as far as their actions during the illegal strike,” Xulu said.
Xulu said an appeals process would be available for those who were fired and seeking to reverse the decision.
BUSINESS REPORT