strike action

**murdock** · 01-Sep-10, 10:05 PM

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** · 01-Sep-10, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by IanF

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** · 02-Sep-10, 05:41 AM

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** · 02-Sep-10, 09:12 AM

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** · 02-Sep-10, 09:54 AM

Pride canâ€™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.

**AndyD** · 02-Sep-10, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Dave A

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

It will make a dent in the unions coffers especially if they're forking out the R1000 a month housing allowance for all its striking members.

**murdock** · 02-Sep-10, 10:09 AM

i wonder if they still have to pay union fees if the strike longer than a month?

that could be interesting the unions sueing members for payment

**IanF** · 02-Sep-10, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by tec0

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

Teco
I have always viewed the employment relationship as being mutually beneficial to both parties. But with the laws in place now it has become who can twist the most benefit out of it, instead of both enjoying the rewards. Until the trust and common purpose can come back the relationship will get more toxic. What is the answer?

**desA** · 02-Sep-10, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by IanF

What is the answer?

I will continue to import items from abroad, where the labour deals are sound. Stability of supply is important.

**Dave S** · 03-Sep-10, 09:39 AM

I know this would not be possible, but what if the government paid over the increases to the union instead of the worker, then the Union would be responsible for administering these funds and ensuring their members receive the increase they have requested... sorry, demanded.

How much of the capital will then find its way into the hands of the people and how many members would the Unions loose as a result? I'm willing to bet that the increase for the striking workers would be sizeably lower than what they were originally promised. Perhaps general anarchy would reign within the Union?

Just a "sidestreet" thought...