Makana Brick has lost R1.8 million since workers embarked on a strike at the beginning of the month, the company's Chief Executive Officer Colin Meyer told Grocott's Mail on Wednesday.
Makana Brick has lost R1.8 million since workers embarked on a strike at the beginning of the month, the company's Chief Executive Officer Colin Meyer told Grocott's Mail on Wednesday.
The Makana Brick workers are demanding a wage increase of R1.50 an hour. They say the company is instead offering R1.10. Meyer said, The workers are demanding 11 percent and that is absolutely not fair. We are offering them an eight percent increase, which they are turning down. He said the company had plans to end the strike, but would not reveal what these entailed. National Union of Mineworkers Grahamstown branch secretary, Sandisile Che, said the company had employed casual workers – some from Grahamstown and others from Port Alfred.
He said they planned to go to Kowie FM and warn the people of Port Alfred against accepting casual employment from the company. The worst part of this is if they have an accident while travelling by the company transport from Port Alfred they will get nothing, because there is a clause stating that in the company's rules, said Che. Meyer confirmed the company was using casual workers.
Che said on average, 120 of the 142 striking workers were attending strike meetings. He said he didn't know why some were not taking part in demonstrations. We will deal later with those who are not taking part in the strike because we do not want do many things at one time, said Che. Che said National Union of Mineworkers regional organiser, Tsholofelo Mgidiza, had told the company to call him only when they had a new offer.
