COSATU to target NEASA Metal Companies in Western Cape

Those Companies who lock out workers to force the acceptance of slave wages will see their companies closed down by COSATU in the Western Cape.

COSATU condemns NEASA, the Organisation of Metal Companies who did not sign the Engineering Wage Agreement, as part of those companies who want to maintain the apartheid generational advantages of those who benefited from apartheid. For those companies both Black and White who think they can publicly show their support for continued slave wages, COSATU will do all that it can to close them down. There are many other companies that can fill the orders that these exploiters presently hold and we will negotiate to get our 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 who dare to lock out COSATU members and we will focus on the Directors' personal assets and connections as well. The arrogance of those companies, who think they can advance a DA agenda in the Western Cape of undermining workers' rights, will be met with the full might of COSATU. These companies will NOT be able to do business with any company organised by COSATU and we will call on our sister Unions internationally to boycott their products.

NEARSA has a long history of promoting exploitative practices and are trying to make themselves relevant in an industry where companies have long rejected there backward agenda. We are in the process of getting a list of NEARSA members and will be targeting their member companies with boycotts. COSATU supports NUMSA in this important Wage Agreement and this victory for workers in the Metal and Plastic industry.

Statement issued by COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretary, Tony Ehrenreich, July 30 2014

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter