Numsa celebrates Golden Arrow worker benefits ’victory’

File picture: African News Agency (ANA)

File picture: African News Agency (ANA)

Published Oct 5, 2020

Share

Cape Town – The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) in the Western Cape said on Monday it has successfully secured all the benefits which Golden Arrow attempted to take away as of August 1, 2020.

After about 98% of its members voted for a strike through balloting last week, it had intended to embark on strike action this week.

’’Numsa has been victorious at Golden Arrow. We have managed to force the company to back down on its plans to unilaterally change the conditions of employment,’’ it said in a statement on Monday.

’’We salute our members for the courage they displayed by resisting the brutal attack that was meant to strip them of all the important benefits that were fought for by generations of workers who came before them.“

Numsa said the following benefits remain intact:

  • All Golden Arrow employees continue to enjoy their actual rates of pay as it was before August 1, 2020.
  • They will enjoy future increases on their actual rates of pay, not what was written by Golden Arrow management.
  • They will continue to enjoy contributions towards their pension/provident fund on their actual rates of pay, not on minimums as communicated by management.
  • Workers will continue to earn their overtime at their actual rate of pay as it was and not as communicated by management.

’’Now that Golden Arrow has agreed to withdraw its plans, we will no longer be embarking on strike action as intended.

’’However, this does not mean that the battle with Golden Arrows is over. In a general meeting held on Saturday, October 3, 2020, our members expressed their extreme unhappiness with Golden Arrow management, who are hell-bent on making their lives difficult.

’’They are frustrated because their Top Notch benefit was taken away from them, and that the case has been delayed in court since 2018.

’’They have also been denied other increases as well. We are determined to pursue the management of Golden Arrow for every one of those outstanding demands.

’’We will not rest until all those benefits which were unfairly stripped from workers are restored to them in full,’’ Numsa said.

IOL

Related Topics: