Lephalale - Expelled workers are scheduled to return to their jobs at Medupi power station in Lephalale on Wednesday, said officials of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) on Tuesday.
This would end a nearly two-week boycott.
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"We have agreed that all workers, even those who had their access cards blocked, return to work on Wednesday, but we will meet with the workers today to see if they accept the proposal by employers," said Numsa regional organiser Mahlodi Modike.
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At least 1 500 workers were barred from the power station, which is under construction, after they demanded a bonus for the completion of unit 6, set to feed into the country's power supply, which is already under pressure.
Some workers received messages indicating they have been expelled from their jobs, and others had their access cards blocked when they returned from work after the Easter holidays.
The move prompted a strike, which involved some violence as workers blocked and barred unexpelled workers from boarding buses to the construction site. They also accused the employer of employing a strategy of divide and rule, arguing that all workers should have been expelled if it was as a result of the strike.
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The negotiations took more than three days, with construction companies, Eskom and Numsa locked in a bitter battle. Workers successfully won a bid to have dismissed workers return to work.
However, the bonus demand is still pending investigation.
“We have agreed that all workers will return to work. The employer's wish is to have them resume duties on Wednesday, but we have a meeting today (Tuesday) to see if they accept the offer,” said Modike.
Early this week Eskom announced that disciplinary hearings were going ahead and some workers have already been found guilty of and dismissed for repeat offences.
Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Ronel Otto said the situation was quiet at Medupi and on settlements on its outskirts which have witnessed violence over the past days.
“The situation is very quiet, but we continue to keep an eye on the area,” said Otto.
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