The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is deeply concerned by reports of possible job losses and salary cuts to hundreds of workers in the in the motor retail sector. South Africa with an already painfully high unemployment rate of 42.4% cannot afford to lose a single job nor condemn any family to absolute poverty and despair. With the rising cost of living and with most workers drowning in debt and having to support on average seven relatives, we cannot afford to see workers’ wages cut.
The Federation is extremely worried that Motus, a key motor vehicle retailer, may retrench hundreds and slash the wages and benefits of even more. We welcome initial reports of tentative progress in preliminary engagements between the employer and the unions. We urge the employer to return to the negotiating table and engage with workers and their unions in good faith to find progressive solutions and fair alternatives to retrenchments and salary cuts.
Whilst we sympathise with and share industry’s concerns about the very real threat posed to local businesses and jobs by cheap Chinese imports, what is needed are progressive long-term solutions that protect workers and their families.
These need to be engaged upon in the sectoral master plan between government, business and labour. They should include measures to protect locally produced vehicles from cheap imports being dumped into South Africa, the reskilling of at-risk workers and engagements with Chinese, Indian and other car manufacturing companies to set up local factories to manufacture and not just assemble new cars, the review and enhancement of sectoral support, as well as to expand export opportunities.
COSATU will continue to closely monitor this deeply distressing situation and offer its full support to workers in this sector and their unions; the Motor Industry Staff Association (MISA), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA).
This is a battle that workers and the local motor manufacturing industry simply cannot afford to lose.
Issued by COSATU
Matthew Parks (COSATU Parliamentary Coordinator)
Mobile: 082 785 0687
Email: matthew@cosatu.org.za
