Johannesburg – The National Union of Metalworkers of
South Africa (Numsa) says it will intensify a strike at the Road Accident Fund.
This, it says in a statement issued on Wednesday, comes
as mediation at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration has
failed to yield results.
The union’s 1 500 members at the fund went on strike
last week, citing issues over wage increases and the fact that the RAF is in “turmoil”
and unable to pay its debts.
The RAF has said that Numsa’s demands are without merit
as, despite the fund being insolvent, it adheres to a benchmarked remuneration
policy.
CEO Eugene Watson has said: “Numsa’s demands are rooted in their
insistence that the RAF adopt unverified, nebulous proposed salary scales,
which the fund cannot accede to. Numsa, which represents just under 36 percent
of the entire staff complement, is one of two unions operating within the RAF
workplace.”
On Wednesday’s statement, Numsa alleges the fund wasted taxpayers’
money by “pretending” to mediate, as it did not enter discussions in good
faith.
Read also: Union says RAF is in dire financial straits
It also argues that the fund will not engage workers on
critical issues, and has suspended the bargaining council.
As a result, the union says, it will “
intensify
the strike at all RAF branches across the country”.
“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
[Dipuo Peters] agrees to meet with us to deal with the problems at RAF.”
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