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The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has yet again scored a major victory in the construction sector, persuading employers through a three week long hard-hitting strike action to accede to further increases.
The construction companies had earlier entered into a wage agreement with the Building, Construction and Allied Workers Union (BCAWU) for an increase of between 8 and 10% which the NUM rejected.
The construction companies as represented by the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC) yesterday acceded to the NUM ‘s demands and granted the workers increments of up to 12%, ending the three week long strike action that halted major power built programmes. “This is a major victory for us. Our members stood firm and we congratulate them for the firmness” says Issac Ntshangase, the NUM ‘s Construction Sector Coordinator.
“Workers were able to see who is fooling whom and joined the NUM massively from BCAWU” he says.
Meanwhile, the NUM has noted the empty rhetoric by AMCU President who continues to promise workers milk and honey, R12 500, but delivers none. The workers should be able to see through the empty rhetoric that year in and year out, there are promises of a R12 500 which he has never been able to deliver.
“Our union has always extended a hand to all other unions to work together with us to improve the lots of mineworkers. But there are those who believe they can achieve that alone” says Frans Baleni, the NUM General Secretary.
The NUM is disturbed by the insincerity and lies spread by AMCU which has monitored the strike by NUM members in the Gold sector alongside the employers and accuses the NUM of being in bed with those employers. The NUM conducted a very peaceful strike action with no coercion or violence yet AMCU lies to say its members were attacked in the Free State. The police and Sibanye gold have all confirmed that there were no such incidents of violence.
The NUM congratulates its members on the peacefulness of industrial action conducted in both the mining and construction sectors.
- See more at: http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=7792#sthash.6qzAkiCm.dpuf
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