WHILE petrol filling stations were deserted in Mthatha yesterday it was business as usual in East London.
As a nationwide strike by National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) began picking up steam, motorists were warned that demonstrations by striking workers may start in East London tomorrow.
Workers are demanding a R30 an hour increase across the board as well as a range of additional benefits, while employers are offering a 7% increase across the board, down from an initial 9.5%, without benefits.
Caltex Eastern Cape Marketer (CECM) director Clive Berlyn said there were no reports of stayaways or intimidation in East London. “In Mthatha there was an incident of intimidation where a crowd moved very close to working employees. We are monitoring the strike closely,” he said.
The Daily Dispatch visited East London BP, Engen and Sasol service stations yesterday and all were operating normally, although some Engen pump attendants were not wearing uniforms in fear of intimidation.
Employers want us to drop our demands for benefits. We are not going to do that ... food prices killing us
One attendant said the strike in East London would heat up tomorrow with demonstrations. “At the moment, Numsa is focusing on Gauteng and Cape Town,” said the worker, who did not want to be named.
In Mthatha yesterday police battled to control workers demonstrating at most of the city’s garages, intimidating non-striking workers, blocking entrances and chasing away motorists.
Organisers said more than 1300 union members had demonstrated at filling stations in Mthatha, Butterworth, Ngcobo, Gcuwa, Flagstaff and Dutywa. Garages were sharing fuel among themselves as supplies dried up because suppliers, fearing for the safety of their drivers and tankers, were holding back on deliveries.
Chanting slogans and wielding knobkerries, workers vowed to continue the strike until their demands are met.
At the Sasol filling station on Nelson Mandela Drive, manager Kazi Kader said not even half the usual number of cars had passed through by midday yesterday, losses that would never be recovered. “If you don’t eat breakfast you can’t eat double lunch. The cars will not come back,” he said.
The owner of the Caltex garage on the R63 in Fort Gale, Jonathan Berlyn, said they used skeleton staff as a contingency measure. He estimated he would lose more than R50000 for every day of the strike.
“It’s crazy what we stand to lose. When they intimidate customers, it will lead to more losses. But we will save from the no work, no pay ,” said Berlyn.
Workers are demanding a R30 increase in the minimum hourly rate; yearly negotiations (as opposed to the current three-year term of agreement); a maximum 40-hour work week; six months (from three) maternity leave and a transport allowance.
They also want labour brokers banned from their industry as they believe they are exploiting desperate workers.
Numsa’s Mthatha local coordinator Khaliphile Gwadana said the employer had originally offered 9.5%, but when employees had stood firm on their demand for additional benefits they had dropped the offer to 7%.
“The bone of contention is that employers want us to drop our demands for benefits. We are not going to do that. Our salary negotiations are always compared to the inflation rate whereas food prices rise every day. That is killing us,” he said.
Reggie Sibiya, CEO of the Fuel Retailers Association (FRA), said the strike would not impact fuel supplies but may affect customer service levels at service stations.
“Fuel supplies should run as normal. People who may be on strike are the service stations’ employees.
“We urge motorists to exercise patience in areas affecting customer service as some may run on lean resources,” he said.
“As FRA, we are very disappointed that our upfront bottom line offer of 9.5% for the next three years has been rejected by Numsa. We truly believe this was a generous offer, taking into account that all our prior years’ wage increases were far above inflation and the average wage settlement.
“In 2010 we settled in a similar range after a strike. This year we were hoping we would settle in a similar range without a strike,” said Sibiya. — loyisom@dispatch.co.za/ siyam@dispatch.co.za
Fuel attendants down tools
As a nationwide strike by National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) began picking up steam, motorists were warned that demonstrations by striking workers may start in East London tomorrow.
Workers are demanding a R30 an hour increase across the board as well as a range of additional benefits, while employers are offering a 7% increase across the board, down from an initial 9.5%, without benefits.
Caltex Eastern Cape Marketer (CECM) director Clive Berlyn said there were no reports of stayaways or intimidation in East London. “In Mthatha there was an incident of intimidation where a crowd moved very close to working employees. We are monitoring the strike closely,” he said.
The Daily Dispatch visited East London BP, Engen and Sasol service stations yesterday and all were operating normally, although some Engen pump attendants were not wearing uniforms in fear of intimidation.
Employers want us to drop our demands for benefits. We are not going to do that ... food prices killing us
One attendant said the strike in East London would heat up tomorrow with demonstrations. “At the moment, Numsa is focusing on Gauteng and Cape Town,” said the worker, who did not want to be named.
In Mthatha yesterday police battled to control workers demonstrating at most of the city’s garages, intimidating non-striking workers, blocking entrances and chasing away motorists.
Organisers said more than 1300 union members had demonstrated at filling stations in Mthatha, Butterworth, Ngcobo, Gcuwa, Flagstaff and Dutywa. Garages were sharing fuel among themselves as supplies dried up because suppliers, fearing for the safety of their drivers and tankers, were holding back on deliveries.
Chanting slogans and wielding knobkerries, workers vowed to continue the strike until their demands are met.
At the Sasol filling station on Nelson Mandela Drive, manager Kazi Kader said not even half the usual number of cars had passed through by midday yesterday, losses that would never be recovered. “If you don’t eat breakfast you can’t eat double lunch. The cars will not come back,” he said.
The owner of the Caltex garage on the R63 in Fort Gale, Jonathan Berlyn, said they used skeleton staff as a contingency measure. He estimated he would lose more than R50000 for every day of the strike.
“It’s crazy what we stand to lose. When they intimidate customers, it will lead to more losses. But we will save from the no work, no pay ,” said Berlyn.
Workers are demanding a R30 increase in the minimum hourly rate; yearly negotiations (as opposed to the current three-year term of agreement); a maximum 40-hour work week; six months (from three) maternity leave and a transport allowance.
They also want labour brokers banned from their industry as they believe they are exploiting desperate workers.
Numsa’s Mthatha local coordinator Khaliphile Gwadana said the employer had originally offered 9.5%, but when employees had stood firm on their demand for additional benefits they had dropped the offer to 7%.
“The bone of contention is that employers want us to drop our demands for benefits. We are not going to do that. Our salary negotiations are always compared to the inflation rate whereas food prices rise every day. That is killing us,” he said.
Reggie Sibiya, CEO of the Fuel Retailers Association (FRA), said the strike would not impact fuel supplies but may affect customer service levels at service stations.
“Fuel supplies should run as normal. People who may be on strike are the service stations’ employees.
“We urge motorists to exercise patience in areas affecting customer service as some may run on lean resources,” he said.
“As FRA, we are very disappointed that our upfront bottom line offer of 9.5% for the next three years has been rejected by Numsa. We truly believe this was a generous offer, taking into account that all our prior years’ wage increases were far above inflation and the average wage settlement.
“In 2010 we settled in a similar range after a strike. This year we were hoping we would settle in a similar range without a strike,” said Sibiya. — loyisom@dispatch.co.za/ siyam@dispatch.co.za
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