In a statement yesterday Makana Brick CEO Colin Meyer said the strike at the factory had entered its sixth week and despite numerous offers by Makana Brick, the striking employees and their union, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), had made no effort to reduce their demands.
In a statement yesterday Makana Brick CEO Colin Meyer said the strike at the factory had entered its sixth week and despite numerous offers by Makana Brick, the striking employees and their union, the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), had made no effort to reduce their demands.
On Wednesday management met with shop stewards and employee representatives and tabled a two-year agreement… to prevent another strike in a year’s time which could force the company to close.
In the agreement the company offered the following increases: Current year 10.5%; 2013 7.5%. The present rate of inflation is 6.1% and is expected to drop next year.
The shop stewards and employee representatives accepted the company’s offer and undertook to ratify it with the employees. Regrettably a trade union official from NUM arrived and instructed the employees not to accept the offer.
In the company's statement Meyer said Makana Brick would like all employees to return to work. However, We can no longer entertain outrageous demands. He said the company had started recruiting new employees and would resume normal production shortly.
