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Cape Town - Those companies that lock out workers to force the acceptance of "slave wages" will see their companies closed down by Cosatu in the Western Cape, the union said in a statement on Wednesday.
Six unions in the metals and engineering sector signed a wage deal with most employers on Tuesday, bringing a end to four-week strike.
But the National Employers Association of South Africa (Neasa) refused to sign the offer, saying it had been sidelined in the negotiation process, facilitated by the labour department.
As a result, Neasa, which has 22 members and employs about 70 000 workers, has vowed to continue with a lock-out of striking workers.
"Cosatu condemns the National Employers Association of South Africa that did not sign the engineering wage agreement as part of those companies that want to maintain the apartheid generational advantages of those who benefited from apartheid," Cosatu said.
"For those companies, both black and white, that think they can publicly show their support for continued slave wages, Cosatu will do all that it can to close them down."
Cosatu thinks there are many other companies that can fill the orders that these "exploiters" presently hold and it will negotiate to get its members moved to the new plants with the work orders that are going there.
"We will isolate and call for boycotts of those companies in the Western Cape that dare to lock out Cosatu members and we will focus on the directors’ personal assets and connections as well."
Cosatu said it will aim to prevent these companies from doing business with any company organised by the union and will call on its sister unions internationally to boycott their products.
"We are in the process of getting a list of Neasa members and will be targeting their member companies with boycotts," Cosatu said.
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