Page 2 of 19 FirstFirst 123412 ... LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 181

Thread: Metals Industry strike - my take

  1. #11
    Silver Member
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    durban
    Posts
    419
    Thanks
    128
    Thanked 61 Times in 52 Posts
    now that we're part of BRICS, why don't we have a similar work ethic & similar labour legislation
    Last edited by flaker; 23-Jul-14 at 04:34 PM.

  2. #12
    Diamond Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Cape Town
    Posts
    6,329
    Thanks
    426
    Thanked 978 Times in 795 Posts
    You cannot legislate work ethic. I think that work ethic is primarily a function of upbringing and unfortunately the union worker mind set does not make for good work ethic.

  3. Thank given for this post:

    gac (03-Aug-14), pmbguy (24-Jul-14)

  4. #13
    Platinum Member desA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    South East Asia
    Posts
    1,023
    Thanks
    512
    Thanked 126 Times in 99 Posts
    Perhaps we've become as thick as BRICS?
    In search of South African Technology Nuggets(R), for sale & trading in South East Asia.

  5. #14
    New Member Hertzel's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    CPT
    Posts
    7
    Thanks
    0
    Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts
    my take:

    If you are unhappy in regards to your work conditions or salary the choice is yours to leave. No one force you to stay, just as you made a choice to work for that particular company knowing of the conditions and salary. So why force your employer to pay you more because your circumstances have changed, this is a short-term solution (in any case). We need to continue working on improving our self so we can grow with our needs.

    Think about this, if you strike it is no work no pay? However you still need to pay your decision makers (unions), and at the end of the day their monthly share increases so if you lose your job (as a result of job cuts or the sale of the Co.) It does not affect them.

  6. Thank given for this post:

    Dave A (27-Jul-14), gac (03-Aug-14)

  7. #15
    Diamond Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Cape Town
    Posts
    6,329
    Thanks
    426
    Thanked 978 Times in 795 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Hertzel View Post
    my take:

    If you are unhappy in regards to your work conditions or salary the choice is yours to leave. No one force you to stay, just as you made a choice to work for that particular company knowing of the conditions and salary. So why force your employer to pay you more because your circumstances have changed, this is a short-term solution (in any case). We need to continue working on improving our self so we can grow with our needs.

    Think about this, if you strike it is no work no pay? However you still need to pay your decision makers (unions), and at the end of the day their monthly share increases so if you lose your job (as a result of job cuts or the sale of the Co.) It does not affect them.
    Intelligent people who are able to think for themselves understand this, the other 90% of people feel that the only power they have is to withold their labour. I suppose they realize that there are many others who will gladly fill their shoes given the oppertunity.

  8. #16
    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    4,624
    Thanks
    1,884
    Thanked 463 Times in 410 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    Quote Originally Posted by Justloadit View Post
    So what will then stop them from demanding a 100% increase next time?
    There is an obvious line of what is possible and what isn’t possible. What is to stop you to increase your prices with a 100% or what is to stop tax from demanding a 100%? It is the same question. Realistically the larger mining groups could have avoided everything if they had implemented realistic wage and started with local development "spend a tiny amount of those BILLIONS on things like housing schools a hospital or two. But look where those workers live and what they have.

    But they didn’t spend the money and that left an OPEN DOOR to what you see now. I know a lot of these workers not all of them are monsters they never hurt anyone and never wanted anyone to get hurt. All they want is to be able to live. Is that so wrong?

    But because these large organizations left the door open to begin with you get what you get now. Truth is everything could have been avoided. If they have spend 1% of there profits imagine the impact it would have had.

    truth is you have to spend money to make money. They didn't and here we are.
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

  9. #17
    Diamond Member Justloadit's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Johannesburg
    Posts
    3,479
    Thanks
    134
    Thanked 695 Times in 593 Posts
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by tec0 View Post
    There is an obvious line of what is possible and what isn’t possible. What is to stop you to increase your prices with a 100% or what is to stop tax from demanding a 100%? It is the same question.
    In my case, or any business, there is competition. Lest we not forget, we are on the world stage and competing with other countries, and quite frankly we are losing hands down.
    In the case of employees, there are many unemployed who wish to work, and are not being employed because the unions are not allowing them to be employed.
    Victor - Knowledge is a blessing or a curse, your current circumstances make you decide!
    Solar pumping, Solar Geyser & Solar Security lighting solutions - www.microsolve.co.za

  10. Thanks given for this post:

    tec0 (24-Jul-14)

  11. #18
    Platinum Member desA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    South East Asia
    Posts
    1,023
    Thanks
    512
    Thanked 126 Times in 99 Posts
    At some point, does SA marginalise itself on the world stage?
    In search of South African Technology Nuggets(R), for sale & trading in South East Asia.

  12. #19
    Moderator IanF's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Jhb
    Posts
    2,679
    Thanks
    197
    Thanked 529 Times in 405 Posts
    Numsa yesterday bemoaned Seifsa’s “hasty” decision to make public a proposed wage offer to try to end the strike in the metals sector.
    “The NEC condemned the hasty decision taken by Seifsa to publicly communicate the offer … without affording the union an opportunity and a right to report back to members,” spokesperson Castro Ngobese said in a statement.
    “This flies in the face of the union’s own democratic principles and processes to gain feedback and mandates from our members, the real custodians of the strike.”
    This is from the Witness.

    I can't help thinking that the Egos from both sides are too big and thus they miss each other. Would the unions ever agree to decentralised bargaining?
    Only stress when you can change the outcome!

  13. Thanks given for this post:

    tec0 (24-Jul-14)

  14. #20
    Diamond Member tec0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    South Africa
    Posts
    4,624
    Thanks
    1,884
    Thanked 463 Times in 410 Posts
    Blog Entries
    3
    Quote Originally Posted by Justloadit View Post
    In my case, or any business, there is competition. Lest we not forget, we are on the world stage and competing with other countries, and quite frankly we are losing hands down.
    In the case of employees, there are many unemployed who wish to work, and are not being employed because the unions are not allowing them to be employed.
    Job seekers are also competitive and we can add job scarcity into the mix. The reality however we are not talking about a small shop or business we are talking about a 500 Billion Dollar infrastructure that didn’t spend any or little money in the local sector. “Create jobs business opportunities training social development” and really they have the money to do exactly that. But they don’t? Why? I mean look at there profits, they are doing very well considering.

    Truth is they didn’t spend the money or enough money and now our local infrastructure will no longer function because it doesn’t matter if you have a job or not you cannot afford the basics. If money was spend on development local communities would be more positive a better labour relation would have been possible. I mean this is basic social commitment stuff.

    But right now people see “hey this company makes more than our whole country can in a year but I the worker cannot eat or afford hospital care but I have a job” Any other reasonable mentality goes out of the window because you know the funds are available but they still live in shacks still have to burn unwashed coal to be warm there is no local facilities and they are fighting to survive but you have a job??? And I am not talking about those monsters that killed both other employees and security personnel and police personnel. I am talking about the standard person willing to listen and find a solution. The worker willing to lose his life just to go to work. We seem to forget them in these conversations "posts"

    So what is reasonable? Is none development reasonable? Is going to sleep hungry reasonable? Is no education reasonable? Is poor health reasonable?

    The reality is if there was local development and reasonable job increases wadge increases none of this would have happened.

    It is not just a question of wadge it is a question about development and infrastructure and the basic right to life. Health and safety and self worth.

    But now all of this is to late, the door was left open and bad people got control over the situation. "damage to property, communication failure and violence as seen on TV"

    But truth is all of this was avoidable.
    peace is a state of mind
    Disclaimer: everything written by me can be considered as fictional.

Page 2 of 19 FirstFirst 123412 ... LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. Truckers strike
    By ians in forum General Business Forum
    Replies: 57
    Last Post: 09-Oct-12, 04:26 PM
  2. Metal Industry strike
    By Martinco in forum General Chat Forum
    Replies: 22
    Last Post: 18-Jul-11, 04:50 PM
  3. strike action
    By murdock in forum General Chat Forum
    Replies: 40
    Last Post: 12-Sep-10, 06:26 PM
  4. Mineworkers not to strike
    By duncan drennan in forum South African Politics Forum
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 12-Jun-07, 01:15 PM

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Did you like this article? Share it with your favourite social network.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •