Port Elizabeth – Nelson Mandela Bay municipal workers blocked off sections of the city centre on Wednesday after parking and abandoning several garbage trucks and council vehicles, making sections of Govan Mbeki Avenue impassable. About 100 workers then gathered in front of the Lillian Diedericks Municipal Building, which is closed, and another municipal building across the road. The municipality's Director of Communications, Roland Williams, said the municipality had noted the unlawful … [Read more...] about Garbage makes Danny miss seminar
strike
Traffic Officers Protest
Traffic Officers of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality embarked on a protest action on Monday morning at around 8:15 am. The reason for the protest action is an assertion made that traffic officers have not been paid the Sunday Time allowance for a number of years going back to 1997. This matter was highlighted at the beginning of 2014 and thereafter a Task Team inclusive of traffic officers was established to investigate and submit a report to the office of the Executive director: Safety … [Read more...] about Traffic Officers Protest
Eastcape Midlands College dismisses 66 staff members
The Eastcape Midlands College has dismissed 66 NEHAWU (National Education Health and Allied Workers' Union) staff members due to illegal strike action. This was announced after the strikers ignored three ultimatums to return to work, breached a court interdict issued to protect staff, students and property and failed to attend a disciplinary hearing. College management is confident that it has taken all possible steps to restore normality. "As we are committed to quality teaching, learning … [Read more...] about Eastcape Midlands College dismisses 66 staff members
Statement by Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality on current unlawful industrial action
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality is currently experiencing an illegal industrial action by some employees of the Electricity and Energy Directorate, as a result of which the Directorate is experiencing a staff sit-in, while Union members have forced all staff at Munelek, outlying depots, Uitenhage and Despatch to vacate their offices/work-places. This has rendered all electricity and energy services rendered by the Municipality non-operational. The Municipality is therefore experiencing … [Read more...] about Statement by Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality on current unlawful industrial action
Strikes set business back from peer countries
Kevin Hustler, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber comments on the cessation of the NUMSA strike: The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber expresses its relief on behalf of business at the reprieve granted by the ending of the four- week long NUMSA strike in the metals and engineering sector on Monday 28 July 2014. Prolonged strikes cost South Africa in a number of ways, not least in terms of reputational damage and South Africa’s attractiveness as a foreign direct investment … [Read more...] about Strikes set business back from peer countries
Minister to intervene in Numsa strike
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant has announced that she will meet with the National Union of Metalworkers SA (Numsa) and the metal and engineering industry in a bid to ensure the strike does not drag out for longer. The minister said she wanted to find out why both sides failed to reach an agreement after indications, last week, pointed to a possibility that the two parties were closer to a settlement on wages, while they could not find a common ground relating to job growth and … [Read more...] about Minister to intervene in Numsa strike
Police arrest Numsa striker for Ngqura violence
A striking Numsa member linked to violent attacks on Transnet employees spent a night behind bars, while Transnet extended the grace period for scores of colleagues wanting to abandon the Numsa-organised strike. Eastern Cape police have arrested and charged a member of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) connected with the spate of bombings, arson and thuggery targeted at Transnet employees who chose not to join the union's industrial action. The arrest is the … [Read more...] about Police arrest Numsa striker for Ngqura violence
Transnet temporarily lifts Ngqura lockout
Transnet says it will suspend the lockout on all striking employees at its Ngqura Container Terminal after striking staff made a plea to come back to work. "Transnet today announced that it would suspend the lockout on all striking employees at its Ngqura Container Terminal, just outside Port Elizabeth. This follows pleas from a significant number of the just over 100 colleagues on strike for the company to allow them to abandon the industrial action which is now entering its seventh week," … [Read more...] about Transnet temporarily lifts Ngqura lockout
High Court grants interdict against striking municipal workers
The Port Elizabeth High Court granted an interdict in favour of the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality this afternoon, barring the raucous behaviour of striking municipal waste management truck drivers. The employees, drivers of the waste management sub-directorate and the South African Municipal Workers Union are interdicted and prohibited from: Driving and using any of the municipality's vehicles unless it is done with the specific consent of the Applicant; Blockading any of the … [Read more...] about High Court grants interdict against striking municipal workers
Striking truck drivers receive ultimatum
The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality served its refuse truck drivers, who downed tools on Tuesday, with an ultimatum that they should return to work by tomorrow (Thursday, 7 November) or else further steps will be considered. The municipality reserves its right to take legal action if this call is not heeded by all concerned. The action by the employees means that no domestic waste, trade waste collection services can be rendered since yesterday. Striking workers are from our Uitenhage, … [Read more...] about Striking truck drivers receive ultimatum
Bring your refuse bags back in
An illegal strike that started this morning is affecting refuse collection in all areas. The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality regrets to inform residents that an illegal strike by Waste Management employees, that started this morning, affects our ability to collect refuse in all areas. This means that no domestic waste, trade waste collection services can at this stage be rendered as tools were downed at our Uitenhage, Despatch, Motherwell, Struandale, Gail Road and Harrower Road depots. We … [Read more...] about Bring your refuse bags back in
Business Chamber pleased at end of strike
The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber is pleased by the news that workers in the automotive components sector, who have been on strike for four weeks, will be returning to work today (Monday 7 October 2013). The business community has expressed its deepest concerns at the length of the current strikes, as well as at the knock-on impact this has on all sectors of the economy in a time when South Africa should be pulling together to restore confidence post recession and building an image that … [Read more...] about Business Chamber pleased at end of strike
Parties urged to resolve motor industry strike
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant has condemned the violence in the on-going motor industry strike, and has also called on parties to speed up negotiations. Oliphant said the country's laws guarantee the right to protest, but cautioned that every right must be exercised with responsibility. "I therefore urge those that are involved in these acts of violence to refrain from such behaviour. "This undermines genuine workers' demands and peaceful collective bargaining. The trade union … [Read more...] about Parties urged to resolve motor industry strike
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality strike update
We are very concerned that the strike action by the Librarians and the Administrative staff at Traffic and Licensing Centres is still inconveniencing the public and we are doing everything in our power to work towards a speedy resolution. After several attempts by the municipality to have a council meeting to discuss and adopt decisions concerning the demands of our employees, could not continue as a result of opposition parties not prioritizing these meetings, our Mayoral Committee will discuss … [Read more...] about Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality strike update
Warnings over prolonged automotive strike
The President of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA), Dr Johan van Zyl, today warned that prolonged industrial action which had paralysed the operations at the seven major vehicle manufacturing plants in South Africa (BMW South Africa, Ford Motor Company SA, General Motors South Africa, Mercedes-Benz South Africa, Nissan South Africa, Toyota SA Motors and Volkswagen Group SA) had entered a critical phase and had also had a negative cascade effect … [Read more...] about Warnings over prolonged automotive strike
