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- The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa announced that it would picket at multiple sites of operation at ArcelorMittal on Monday.
- The statement said ArcelorMittal SA was consulting employees on a section 189 process, and contemplating retrenchments.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa announced in a statement on Sunday evening that it would picket at multiple sights of operation at ArcelorMittal on Monday.
The statement said the picket would take place on Monday morning, after which the union would hand a memorandum of demands to. Picketing will take place at ArcelorMittal in Sedibeng, Vanderbijlpak, Vereeniging, Pretoria and Newcastle, the statement said.
"Our members feel that they must resort to this drastic course of action because of the relentless onslaught that AMSA through the backward management of Kobus Verster the current GCEO, have launched against employees," the statement said.
In June, the company said it would begin "large-scale restructuring". ArcelorMittal SA in January already announced 1 000 job cuts in a bid to rein in costs, but on Thursday said in a statement that "cost-saving initiatives previously implemented will not be sufficient".
The statement said ArcelorMittal SA was consulting employees on a retrenchment process in terms of section 189 of the Labour Relations Act.
"It has also proposed that salaries and benefits must be reduced by 20% as an alternative to retrenchments. We believe that the Covid-19 pandemic is being used as an excuse to restructure the organization, and render hundreds of workers jobless," the statement said.
The statement said union members believed that they have no choice but to resort to protest action and that they will picket peacefully whilst adhering to social distancing regulations.
ArcelorMittal South Africa is part of global steel manufacturer and mining group ArcelorMittal, which has about 190 000 employees worldwide.
With Sibongile Khumalo
