2 June 2020
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Free State cautions various industries in the Sasolburg Industrial Complex to desist from coercing workers and unduly cutting their hard-earned salaries, under their so called "voluntary salary sacrifices" procedure. No worker can willingly agree to cut their already meagre salaries, particularly under the given exploitative employment conditions and poor socio-economic reality facing South African workers.
Furthermore, the SACP warns and implore Omnia company to abruptly stop their "carrot and stick" tactic of enticing workers to take voluntary early retirement whilst at the same time initiating a Section 189 targeting the workers for retrenchment. The Section 189 process must stop, and alternative options must be considered, following a transparent process inclusive of labour.
The global pandemic occasioned by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak is not a ticket for owners of industry to fire workers. Before Covid-19, workers toiled under exploitative conditions and bosses consistently extracted surplus value out of the workers in productive activities and smiled all the way to the banks, without any share to the workers. Now that industries are impacted by Covid-19, bosses are forcing workers to share and shoulder the economic difficulties in a manner that maintains profitability for bosses while kicking workers out of their gates. These companies are insensitive, acting as if Covid-19 has not affected the socio-economic conditions of the workers.
In our interaction with workers and union leaders from different companies, we have learned that almost all companies in the industrial complex have varyingly moved to undertake salary cuts, forced some workers to take leave, sacrificed pension contributions, enforced reduced workdays and encouraged early retirements. Some companies have decided already that workers will get no salary increases, let alone bonuses. These actions amount to an unrestrained and outright assault against the workers. They cannot be tolerated.
The SACP Free State calls on union leadership across the spectrum, to be at the forefront, engaging and working with workers across affiliation in all industries, to confront this dire situation facing the workers. Without concerted worker efforts, the capitalists will – in line with their greed – continue to squeeze the workers more and more.
The SACP in Free State stands ready to join efforts with the workers to fight against these injustices, within the constraints of the lockdown regulations. It would be dereliction of our political and revolutionary duty to remain locked down when the class whose interests the SACP represents is being locked out.
Moreover, the SACP calls on all industries in the Sasolburg industrial cluster to provide and replenish the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers against Covid-19. A single issue of PPE may not be sufficient given the nature of work and, if not replenished, may expose workers to undue risks of the infectious Covid-19. The SACP urges workers to outrightly refuse to work under an unsafe working environment.
The SACP in the Free State also pleads with union leadership to consolidate worker unity and unapologetically take up the economic assault and daily shop floor struggles of workers to the doorsteps of the bosses, during these times of Covid-19. In this regard, the SACP pledges to join efforts with unions and workers. Working with workers’ unions, the SACP will further explore means to engage the Department of Labour and Employment in the province to pay special attention to the Sasolburg Industrial Complex and scrutinise the actions of various industries and investigate their compliance with lockdown rules as production activities resume.
The SACP will further engage the local and district municipalities to also pay attention to the industrial complex, all other commercial activities in the area, including ensuring that their own municipal workers are properly equipped and protected during these times of Covid-19.
ISSUED BY THE SACP FREE STATE
Contact:
Bhekie Stofile
SACP Free State Provincial Secretary
Mobile: 071 600 4899
