strike action

[murdock]

i didnt want to get into this subject...but man this country is becoming a sad place to live...considering that some companies have had to take some serious precautions...armed gaurds...to PROTECT YOU FROM FELLOW WORKERS...not to protect you from HARDENED CRIMMINALS...people you work with in the factory and office on adaily basis...this is a very sad day in south africa...

from months of unity and great prospects throughout the world cup...hope that things would get better in this country...to this...being protected from other staff members in your office...because you are happy with your increase being worked out according to your input into the company...and happy with your wage and package you accepted at the time of employment... i believe wage increase should be written into the employment contract...and it should be a standard increase every year...and if you as the company owner feel that the employee have proved himself...then it is your choice to reward that staff member with a better increase or bonuses during the year.


i have this all the time...people come to me on thier knees begging me for work...i feel for the person so i offer them a job...2 weeks later i get a call from the bargaining council telling me i need to come to the office to sort out a problem with one of my staff...under paying them etc etc...then i am told i have to pay out a lump sum because they have been employed with me for years etc etc...then i get told by the bargaining council people it would pay me to settle the money because i would end up wasting a lt of time and money in acourt battle...and people wonder why we use agencies to get subbies rather...i vowed many years ago after numerous battles with staff never to employ more than 2 people ever again and it times like this that just make me realise my choice was a good one...modern technology is the way forward...the less people you employ the less stress...and even though i dont make money like i use to...i enjoy running my little operation...no staff headaches.

[desA]

Mechanisation, automation, computerisation. These are good words.

[IanF]

One day the unions are going to be caught by their own cleverness, how long before we pump our petrol? Just look at the US steel industry, and the auto industry there is going the same way.

[tec0]

Right let us take into consideration that a lot of workers don’t get paid at all. Also take into consideration that training systems is at a basic standstill. For example CTC “if they haven’t changed policy” only accept students that are employed by the mines. So training is a no, no and then you get people arrogant enough to expect that another human must live on R600 or R800 a month? that is BS

The truth is there is not enough work for everybody, but there is no training available for people to upgrade their skills. So what you have is effectively a slave system. This system will fail and if people stop employment and start considering atomization and there many forms then the poor will have to resort to anarchy. Simple economics 101, what happens if everyone is out of work?

The truth is there enough money for training expansion and development but if that money disappears like that R300 million then development will become an impossibility.

[adrianh]

They are like three year old children: If you don't give me what I want I throw a tantrum. Failing that I will hold my breath till I turn blue in the face puke on the carpet.

If only one could give them slap therapy

[tec0]

There strikers methods is questionable and yes many will actually lose their lives because there treatments/Medication was unavailable. The youth will suffer because they will most probably fail there school year.

But this is only the beginning, Imagine a national tools down? Imagine what will happen if a few million people get angry? Imagine what will happen if a state of martial law takes effect. Take in account how much money are gone tanks to mismanagement and corruption.

In all probability the situation will be defused and people will huddle back to their jobs. There will be one or two lawsuits but I imagine that they will be dismissed.

So nothing will change and that might be more damaging because unions will lose their credibility and once that happen “and history has shown this” you will have revolution.

[desA]

The people really need to take a few lessons out of the SE Asian copybook.

[Dave A]

The petrol attendants are striking for a 20% increase. Gotta say I'm quite happy to pump my own petrol. Always have been.

[IanF]

Here is some stats I got from a newsletter from the preservation fund consultant.

In the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index, South Africa is ranked 45th out of 133 countries. It is 24th in economic market size and scores very well in areas such as financial markets, where it is an admirable 5th in the world. But, as the survey puts it, "South Africa's competitiveness would be enhanced by tackling some enduring weaknesses. The country ranks 90th in labour market efficiency, with inflexible hiring and firing practices (125th), a lack of flexibility in wage determination by companies (123rd), and poor labour-employer relations (121st). "

Until we get a fairer labour judicial system relatively free from politics we will continue down the wrong path. From my stand point the system is too heavily in favour of the the employee at the moment.

[desA]

^ Some excellent points.

[murdock]

and i have asked my staff to strike for the next 3 days so i can go on a fishing trip

they are welcome to put pressure on me to increase wages more than my offer...so i can decide who to retrenched...it will make it a lot easier for me...at least i wont feel so bad....comapnies have been laying off staff by the hundreds due to the lack of construction work in durban and surrounding areas...every morning i can take my pick from ques of so called skilled people begging me for work on a daily basis.

it is time to dig in and vas byte...the worste is yet to come...time to drop prices and become more efficient...offer a better service etc...we have had a good couple of years...even the recession wasnt that bad...but what i am seeing on the street is not good...my quotes are being scrutinised...cutomers and leaving things out in the quote and only wanting essential things done...and worste of all...people are not paying their accounts...so it is becoming a chain reaction...nows when you need a trust fund or to be a relation of zuma i read an article in a magazine how the zuma a re zumin in on the contracts and wealth of this country...

and as for the mayor of durban he takes the cake of the week award...he didnt know that his daughter was involved in millions of rands worth of contract with the municipalty that he is the mayor for...even though she lives in the same house...surely he doesnt think the public are that stupid or maybe he does thats why they are doing it

[tec0]

Here is some stats I got from a newsletter from the preservation fund consultant.

Until we get a fairer labour judicial system relatively free from politics we will continue down the wrong path. From my stand point the system is too heavily in favour of the the employee at the moment.

Yes the employee can get away with a lot lately, but I have seen a lot of people getting fired for BS reasons so there is a need to have some labour protection. The truth is most companies wants slaves and most workers wants to be the boss so there is really no winning or losing here it is the state of mind that is the problem.

Well I have a feeling we have a lose lose situation and that is never beneficial

[murdock]

it is because of the extreme...the people with money...bosses...goverment etc have a lot more money than the employees....so they look at the lifestyle the bosses are leading and wonder why they have to work so hard to just keep their head above water...so they start thinking its all their hard work which is making the bosses so rich....that they can drive fancy cars and have big flat screen TV etc...

company owners use staff to maximise on profits...charge the customer a trademans rate and send a labourer to site because he has a drivers license hence the problem in the industry with the workmanship quality...or in the case of a lawyer send the appy and charge full rates...if you can charge a customer R350 for a so called skilled labourer and get away with only paying him R20 per hour...and have 10 teams on the road...you can make money like doctors and lawyers...this is the joys of having a cellphone...i get calls from labourers who work for companies who have a little knowledge...like how to connect a plug and light switch maybe a DB...they are sent to customers houses and even factories to fix plugs and lights...but with their limited electrical knowledge they get stuck and have to call me to get assistance...thats why i say the industry should insist on making all tradesmen and labourer wear a tag indicating their qualification...there is a set standard of rates at various levels...which can determine the rate a company can charge you...the next time you have a so called electrician for example arrive on site request a card to indentify their level of experience...we all have one to idicate our level of qualification...for example mine is a red card with a photo of my ugly mug indicating that i am an MIE...if they dont have a card which looks like a drivers license...chances are they dont have any qualifiction...therefore are not allowed to be doing what they are doing......and you can contact your local ECB (not ECA) to verify their qualification...because there is plenty fraud out there...if the power is switched on in the building no learner being any elconop at any level 1..2..3..or 4 is allowed to be working on the electrical installation without the correct supervision and if so locked out by a suitably qualified person...and if that person is injured on your site...believe me the DOL as lazy as they are will be all over you like a really bad rash

ever since they started semi skilled labour and stopped apprenticeships the problem just got worse...and like everything in this country things are introduced for finacial gain but never monitored or policed...the electrical regulations and eleconop system is a good example...someone comes up with a bright idea gets it up and running associations and bargaining councils etc benifit from the finacial reward but nobody is prepared to send people out into the real world to check that they sytem is not being abused...you hear of the odd big hooo haaa about companies getting proabition orders etc but believe me it is not often...they have little burst...couple of people get letters then they fade out again.

at the end of the day the employee is put in a position by the comapany owner that if he doesnt go out and carry out orders to do work he is not qualified to do he will loose his job...and the unions make a big fuss about wage increases...what they should be doing is concetrating on the more important issues like is the employee doing the work he is qualified to do.

i also agree with the minimum wage...how can a person live on less than R20per hour...R3464.00 for a single person living in an outbuilding with no overheads like a car...kids etc...i believ eyou should be paid for what you are worth...and how much effort you put in...but saying that how would you calculate it especialy in goverment department...they wouldnt even qualify for a wage...especially the ones enjoying the lives of the rich and famous travelling the world.

[Dave A]

And it seems SADTU and NEHAWU have rejected government's latest wage offer. Probably holding out to get the strike time as paid time

3 weeks unpaid is going to hurt a bit when payday comes

[tec0]

Pride can’t feed you or your children, but I think if they lose more money things will go violent and then the real trouble will start.