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Johannesburg - Pockets of striking engineering workers are moving from company to company in search of non-strikers, the Steel and Engineering Industries' Federation of SA (Seifsa) said on Thursday.
"It is regrettable that strikers find it necessary to use these bullying and illegal tactics to gain support for their strike and that the union leadership remains silent in its condemnation of this deplorable and unacceptable behaviour," Seifsa spokesperson Angelique Morton said.
"This reprehensible behaviour flies directly in the face of the spirit and intent of the strike and picketing rules."
Morton said Seifsa had received "continuous" reports of violence and intimidation from employees.
These included physical assault of non-strikers, trespassing on private property in search of non-strikers, malicious damage to company property, stone-throwing, the breaking of company gates, and other actions.
The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said reports of alleged violence by strikers was an attempt by "some elements" to sabotage the industrial action.
"Numsa is not a union of hooligans. We have disciplined and organised members," said spokesperson Castro Ngobese.
The union claimed its members had been intimidated, harassed, shot at and arrested by police in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Police were unable to confirm this.
The Democratic Left Front (DLF) has called for action on police brutality.
It called on the Independent Complaints Directorate, the SA Human Rights Commission, and the public protector to investigate cases of police violence in protests. The DLF also wanted a tribunal established so that victims of police brutality could come forward and give evidence.
Earlier, striking engineering workers gave their employers until the end of Thursday to respond to their wage demands. "On Monday, when we handed over the memorandum, we gave them three days to respond to us and if they fail to do so, we will consider calling on Cosatu to support this strike action," said Ngobese. "We hope they will respond... our doors are always open."
He said no negotiations or talks had taken place since Monday, when several trade unions, representing about 170 000 workers, embarked on a countrywide strike.
Seifsa said it could not afford the 13% wage increase demanded by the union. Employers in the sector have offered 7%.
Numsa's Free State regional secretary Andile Zitho said the 13% was a matter of life and death, as a 7% increase was not enough to cushion workers against rising food, electricity, education, water and fuel costs.
Morton did not comment about the negotiating process in her statement.
Several attempts to reach her and executive director David Carson were unsuccessful.
"It is regrettable that strikers find it necessary to use these bullying and illegal tactics to gain support for their strike and that the union leadership remains silent in its condemnation of this deplorable and unacceptable behaviour," Seifsa spokesperson Angelique Morton said.
"This reprehensible behaviour flies directly in the face of the spirit and intent of the strike and picketing rules."
Morton said Seifsa had received "continuous" reports of violence and intimidation from employees.
These included physical assault of non-strikers, trespassing on private property in search of non-strikers, malicious damage to company property, stone-throwing, the breaking of company gates, and other actions.
The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said reports of alleged violence by strikers was an attempt by "some elements" to sabotage the industrial action.
"Numsa is not a union of hooligans. We have disciplined and organised members," said spokesperson Castro Ngobese.
The union claimed its members had been intimidated, harassed, shot at and arrested by police in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Police were unable to confirm this.
The Democratic Left Front (DLF) has called for action on police brutality.
It called on the Independent Complaints Directorate, the SA Human Rights Commission, and the public protector to investigate cases of police violence in protests. The DLF also wanted a tribunal established so that victims of police brutality could come forward and give evidence.
Earlier, striking engineering workers gave their employers until the end of Thursday to respond to their wage demands. "On Monday, when we handed over the memorandum, we gave them three days to respond to us and if they fail to do so, we will consider calling on Cosatu to support this strike action," said Ngobese. "We hope they will respond... our doors are always open."
He said no negotiations or talks had taken place since Monday, when several trade unions, representing about 170 000 workers, embarked on a countrywide strike.
Seifsa said it could not afford the 13% wage increase demanded by the union. Employers in the sector have offered 7%.
Numsa's Free State regional secretary Andile Zitho said the 13% was a matter of life and death, as a 7% increase was not enough to cushion workers against rising food, electricity, education, water and fuel costs.
Morton did not comment about the negotiating process in her statement.
Several attempts to reach her and executive director David Carson were unsuccessful.
