Violence and intimidation mars Numsa strike

In their response, the opposition Democratic Alliance has announced that it is submitting a private member's Bill, or a draft law introduced by an MP, to Parliament seeking to introduce legislation that would force unions to take practical steps to prevent strike-related violence. 'The DA respects workers' constitutionally guaranteed right to engage in lawful protest action. However, a balance must be struck between workers' rights and the rule of law,' DA MP Ian Ollis is quoted in News24 as saying. The DA would like to legislation to include educating workers about the law, forcing unions to provide marshals to help with crowd control, and the extension of crowd control training available to more police. Ollis also proposed empowering courts to force employers and unions into arbitration where strikes were excessively violent, or declare such a strike unprotected. In cases where unions had not taken certain measures to prevent violence and damage to property, courts should also have the power to award damages against that union. Full News24 report

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) rejects with contempt the proposal from the DA to move a law that 'would force unions to take practical steps to prevent strike-related violence', writes Patrick Craven in Politicsweb. He says Cosatu has consistently opposed violence, intimidation and damage to property during strikes and demonstrations, all of which are offences under existing laws, and therefore require no new law to deal with them. He says the law which they now propose would empower courts to force employers and unions into arbitration where strikes were excessively violent, or declare such a strike unprotected. Craven argues that such a law would give unparalleled power to an arm of the state to undermine collective bargaining and the basic human right to withdraw ones labour. Full Politicsweb report

In his reply, Ollis said that Cosatu's response to the proposed Bill 'shows that the union federation has yet to come to terms with labour relations in the 21st century.' He writes in Polliticsweb that in many countries in the world there exists modern legislation, allowing courts or statutory bodies certain powers to suspend strikes for periods of time after the strike has become violent, to give arbitration via the courts or other statutory bodies a chance to settle a wage or other dispute. This is done to benefit the worker,employers and the general economy, Ollis says. Full Politicsweb report

A Daily Maverick report quotes police spokesperson Solomon Makgale as saying that there had been 26 strike related arrests since the start of the strike by the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa (Numsa). But Numsa has called the allegations of violence 'propaganda and slanderous allegations' by the employers aimed at undermining the strike. Numsa leaders have, however, warned shop stewards against violence so as not to give its detractors further ammunition. Investment Solutions economist Chris Hart has called on unions to take responsibility, saying 'you've got impunity and it has to be ended.' Full Daily Maverick report

Despite Numsa's denials, The Citizen reports that there is mounting video evidence of striking workers believed to be affiliated to Numsa wreaking havoc around the country. After forwarding a video depicting striking workers petrol bombing a Vulcania Reinforcing factory on the East Rand last week, Numsa national spokesperson Castro Ngobese said no evidence was provided to Numsa showing members break picketing rules. Ngobese maintained that since the start of the strike, members had exercised high levels of discipline and maturity in line with the union's disciplinary code of conduct. Full report in The Citizen

The video footage captured by CCTV cameras has gone viral, reports SABC News. Numsa spokesperson Castro Ngobese says: 'If we allow these rotten elements to hijack the strike through these acts of violence, it delegitimises the union's struggle.' Non-striking workers say they are living in fear. Factory owners have lambasted police for failing to protect them. Full SABC News report

Gauteng police have warned Numsa members that acts of violence will not be tolerated, reports The New Age. 'Police will use all available information to identify and arrest the perpetrators,' police spokesperson Lt-Col Lungelo Dlamini, said. 'Serious incidents have been reported in most areas of the East Rand including Benoni, Edenvale, Elandsfontein, Elsburg, Germiston and Kempton Park. In one of the incidents, one suspect has been identified as a striking employee. Police have launched a manhunt for him,' Dlamini said. He said the police were monitoring the Numsa strike. Full report in The New Age

Tensions are, meanwhile, building between the two employer bodies negotiating with Numsa, with the National Employers Association of South Africa (Neasa) warning the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (Seifsa) that it has set unrealistic expectations, reports Eyewitness News. Seifsa, which represents big business in the sector, has offered Numsa a 10% wage hike while Neasa, negotiating for smaller businesses, says it can only afford 8%. Neasa says if Numsa accepts the 10% offer it could be extended across the industry which would result in a court challenge to prevent this from being implemented. Neasa CEO Gerhard Papenfus says his association should have been consulted before Seifsa tabled a 10% offer, considering the implications. At the same time, the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council says it does not expect tensions between Neasa and Seifsa to delay the deal to end the ongoing Numsa strike. Full Eyewitness News report