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NUMSA: NUMSA strike at RAF continues

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NUMSA: NUMSA strike at RAF continues

NUMSA: NUMSA strike at RAF continues
Photo by Duane

29th March 2017

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/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) will intensify the strike at the Road Accident Fund. For the last two days RAF and NUMSA have been engaged in mediation but it has failed to resolve the impasse between both parties.

RAF wasted tax payer money by pretending to mediate!
When parties are called to mediate, it means they must work towards resolving the dispute. But the RAF did not mediate in good faith; instead, it proved that it has no interest in resolving the dispute. The public has a right to know that an institution like RAF is willing to waste tax payer money on a CCMA mediation process which it refused to engage on in good faith. It is clear to us as NUMSA that this mediation process was nothing more than an expensive exercise by RAF to create the illusion of negotiation, when in fact it has no interest in resolving the crisis. Furthermore, it has no interest in engaging workers on critical issues which affect the day to day running of the institution. The RAF rejected all the demands put to it, and it also refused to put any alternative offer on the table. The RAF displayed a complete disregard for the seriousness of the mediation process!

Critical issues raised by workers:
The RAF suspended the Bargaining council which is a forum for workers to raise critical issues affecting them. It will not engage workers in any formal structure and on any issue. By suspending the bargaining council they have effectively silenced any critical voices which can force them to be accountable. This is an infringement on our constitutional right to organize! RAF management does not want to be accountable to workers, and they clearly do not want to be accountable to the public. NUMSA is demanding that the bargaining council be immediately re-instated.

NUMSA is demanding the adjustment of the of salary scales in the workplace. At least 60% of workers from the RAF are still on entry level salaries, in terms of the salary scales and their salaries have not been adjusted in the last five years, whilst senior managers have had their incomes adjusted and increased at the expense of the majority! This situation with the salary scales has also created ‘unequal pay for equal work’, where some workers are earning less for doing the same work as their colleagues on the same level.  This is blatantly unfair and it must be corrected immediately! The CEO of RAF Dr Watson is like all capitalist fat cats. Under his management the RAF exploits workers by ensuring the majority work harder, and earn lower salaries, while senior managers benefit with massive million rand salary packages. RAF cannot be said to be benefiting as an institution from the management and leadership of Dr Watson and the team at RAF, when you consider the chaotic state of the organisation.

There is a high staff turnover at RAF, because of the shambolic state of the organisation. Those workers’ who remain there are forced to carry the work load of three or more people at a time. Workers are not donkeys, they are human beings. They cannot carry the burden of such a heavy workload and also be expected to be effective at their jobs at the same time. Our workers are demanding that vacant positions must be filled as this has a material impact on RAF’s core function, which is to pay out claims for road accidents.

The management at the RAF wants to bamboozle the public into believing that all is well at the RAF, when in fact all indicators are that it is an institution in chaos, and it has been allowed to operate in this way for a long time. The RAF is routinely having its assets seized by the sheriff of the court to settle outstanding claims and debts. This is an abnormal situation for any organisation. The RAF must stop being in denial and deal with the crisis. That is why as NUMSA we want the Transport minister to intervene by instituting an independent investigation into the Agency to get to the bottom of the problem. The transport minister must demonstrate to the public that she truly cares about road accident victims. The very fact that the institution tasked with taking care of our people after the trauma of an accident is imploding, should be of great concern to her and the ministry. The silence from the transport ministry on this critical issue is deafening.

It is also for this reason that NUMSA has lodged a complaint with the Public Protector. We want to know what impact this is having on the RAF’s ability to pay out claims. As NUMSA we also want to ensure that the RAF is not violating the Protection of Personal Information Act every time computers containing private and confidential medical information, are seized.

NUMSA’s course of action
NUMSA will intensify the strike at all RAF branches across the country. The management of RAF refuses to answer for their conduct and they refuse to be accountable. As a militant trade union which cares about workers and their families, NUMSA will do everything legally possible to force RAF to be accountable to workers and the public. We will strike until the Transport minister agrees to meet with us to deal with the problems at RAF.

Our workers are determined and they remain resolute. As NUMSA we are inspired by their dedication to the cause. Were it not for our workers, the nation would be unaware of the scale of the crisis at the RAF. It is thanks to workers that a legitimate body like the Public Protector is also aware of the situation and is considering our complaint. It is because of the strength of workers that we will succeed in our quest for justice and equality in the workplace.

We must be organised, or we will starve!

 

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