Publications
Partners
Cape Town - The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is trying to project a picture which reflects the views of the majority of workers in the building industry - and this is not the case at all, according to Rob Johnson, executive director of the Master Builders Association of the Western Cape (MBAWC).
The MBAWC is a registered trade association for employers in the building industry.
There are 32 000 workers in the building industry in the Western Cape.
Last week, a few hundred members of NUM marched to the offices of the Building Industry Bargaining Council (BIBC) where they handed over a memorandum of their grievances against employers in the construction industry.
NUM is demanding a 13% wage increase accross the board.
They also vowed not to return to work until their demands were met.
“It is our opinion that NUM are abusing the current strike action against the civil industry due to losing ground against other unions," said Johnson.
"Their fight has nothing to do with the building industry and everything to do with trying to gain relevance amongst current and potential members.”
The building sector is another key sector of the economy to become embroiled in a wave of industrial action sweeping the country.
Negotiations
The BIBC recently concluded wage negotiations for a three-year-period with the labour parties and according to Johnson NUM was involved as well.
A wage increase for the building industry in the Western Cape of 7.5% was agreed by majority decision of the council.
"After agreement, NUM declared a dispute, stating that they did not agree with the wage increase and the period of the agreement," said Johnson.
"However, at the time of voting as to whether to accept or reject the increase, they did not say yay or nay, nor did they choose to abstain and instead remained silent."
They then issued a dispute against the employers in the building industry.
That dispute led to a conciliation meeting that was held on Wednesday August 28, the same day on which NUM organised the march on the BIBC, according to Johnson.
"That was putting the cart before the horse. NUM asked for conciliation, but then went ahead and organised the march prior to receiving the result of the conciliation process,” said Johnson.
“The other unions in the council joined with the employers in the conciliation process."
NUM has one seat out of 16 on the BIBC.
Their first declaration of a dispute was declared invalid due to the incorrect BIBC constitutional clause being quoted.
During the conciliation process the MBAWC and the other unions, disputed the jurisdiction of the commissioner to hear NUM's dispute on the grounds that 15 out of 16 voted in favour of the new wage agreement.
This vote was in line with the BIBC's constitution which states that a majority vote makes a decision, said Johnson.
- Fin24
The MBAWC is a registered trade association for employers in the building industry.
There are 32 000 workers in the building industry in the Western Cape.
Last week, a few hundred members of NUM marched to the offices of the Building Industry Bargaining Council (BIBC) where they handed over a memorandum of their grievances against employers in the construction industry.
NUM is demanding a 13% wage increase accross the board.
They also vowed not to return to work until their demands were met.
“It is our opinion that NUM are abusing the current strike action against the civil industry due to losing ground against other unions," said Johnson.
"Their fight has nothing to do with the building industry and everything to do with trying to gain relevance amongst current and potential members.”
The building sector is another key sector of the economy to become embroiled in a wave of industrial action sweeping the country.
Negotiations
The BIBC recently concluded wage negotiations for a three-year-period with the labour parties and according to Johnson NUM was involved as well.
A wage increase for the building industry in the Western Cape of 7.5% was agreed by majority decision of the council.
"After agreement, NUM declared a dispute, stating that they did not agree with the wage increase and the period of the agreement," said Johnson.
"However, at the time of voting as to whether to accept or reject the increase, they did not say yay or nay, nor did they choose to abstain and instead remained silent."
They then issued a dispute against the employers in the building industry.
That dispute led to a conciliation meeting that was held on Wednesday August 28, the same day on which NUM organised the march on the BIBC, according to Johnson.
"That was putting the cart before the horse. NUM asked for conciliation, but then went ahead and organised the march prior to receiving the result of the conciliation process,” said Johnson.
“The other unions in the council joined with the employers in the conciliation process."
NUM has one seat out of 16 on the BIBC.
Their first declaration of a dispute was declared invalid due to the incorrect BIBC constitutional clause being quoted.
During the conciliation process the MBAWC and the other unions, disputed the jurisdiction of the commissioner to hear NUM's dispute on the grounds that 15 out of 16 voted in favour of the new wage agreement.
This vote was in line with the BIBC's constitution which states that a majority vote makes a decision, said Johnson.
- Fin24
