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Medupi construction continues

Johannesburg - Construction work at the Medupi power stations will continue despite a strike by some workers, Eskom said on Wednesday.

"The strike only involved 2 000 workers. The rest are working," said Eskom spokesperson Hilary Joffe.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) members went on strike on Tuesday, demanding equal treatment.

Joffe said contractors were dealing with the matter.

NUM spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka said management had given the workers the long weekend off in the hope that they would "cool off".

Seshoka said the dispute was over bonuses.

Members of the National Union of Metalworkers SA (Numsa) who had gone on strike in January were given bonuses.

"Workers who went on strike in December have not received (any bonuses), in fact they were penalised," said Seshoka.

Two weeks ago, workers returned to their posts at Medupi after construction was halted during a strike that lasted almost eight weeks.

The strike came to an end when Numsa and contractors reached a resolution on the Project Labour Agreement.

Part of the agreement was that workers should get a once-off payment of R2 000, plus a month's salary. They would also get an interest-free loan to the value of 90 hours of work, which they could pay back over six months.

Seshoka said the same should apply to the NUM workers.

"You must treat workers equally, workers need to feel valued. We fully support their demands."


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