Staff at busy city garage down tools till they are paid and issues resolved

ON STRIKE: Operations at a standstill at the BP garage in Quigney as workers embark on an indefinite go-slow Picture: NONSINDISO QWABE
ON STRIKE: Operations at a standstill at the BP garage in Quigney as workers embark on an indefinite go-slow Picture: NONSINDISO QWABE
Frustrated  workers at the BP garage in Fleet Street, East London, have embarked on an indefinite unprotected strike.

Services at the busy garage halted as workers downed tools on Saturday over unresolved matters with their employer, Johan Kleyn.

All weekend, irate motorists hooted for assistance to no avail, with some eventually getting out of their vehicles to pump their own tyres while petrol attendants watched from a distance.

They have refused to return to work until their boss resolves matters they’ve been complaining about for years, they claim

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, the petrol attendants, tellers and kitchen staff said a delay in their fortnightly salaries was the last straw, triggering a go-slow that had been looming for months.

When the Dispatch visited the garage yesterday, representatives from labour unions Numsa and Lemosa were in a meeting with the workers, officially tabling their grievances.

On Saturday, the Pick n Pay convenience store was still being operated by office clerks on the premises.

Kleyn was in his office inside the store, and came out periodically to take pictures of the workers, using his cellphone.

By yesterday, the store had also ceased to operate. Numsa representative Lunga Mbulawa said he believed the workers had grounds to embark on their go-slow.

“It’s unbelievable that so many years after democracy people are expected to work like this. Their concerns are fair labour practice issues.”

Mbulawa said the workers had no signed contracts of employment or clear working conditions.

He said the workers also complained about excessive verbal abuse from Kleyn.

“The working conditions here do not meet the basic employment requirements stated in the Labour Act.

“The workers don’t even know whether they’re permanent or contract workers and some of them have been working here for years. There are no structures as required by the law.”

Refuting the workers’ claims, Kleyn said they were attention-seekers and wanted a reaction out of him.

He said the go-slow was caused by the delay in payments, and that the other issues the workers raised were not relevant to the go-slow.

The downing of tools by the staff was a demonic onslaught on the business, he added.

“They want to show me that they can bring the business to a standstill and they’ve done that now.” — nonsindisoq@

dispatch.co.za

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