5 February 2021

The South African Communist Party (SACP) stands in solidarity in yet another bout of jobs bloodbath after Greyhound’s notice to close operations and Putco’s notice to retrench 214 workers. Up to 700 jobs will be lost should Greyhound proceed to shut down operations. The very short notice by Greyhound adds salt to injury. It is an insult to workers and exposes its uncaring attitude to the scale of the human crisis that its closing will generate.

It is indeed a fact that many transport businesses were negatively affected by the lockdown, unavoidable due to the spreading of COVID-19 pandemic. The working class, however, has been the worst casualty of the pandemic. It is also a fact that despite the loss in revenue, the owners of the various bus companies have been raking in the profits.

Notwithstanding the drop in revenue, companies must, however, not be allowed to run roughshod of the business closure and retrenchment processes. The government must step in and assist in doing everything possible to prevent the loss of jobs or find an amicable solution or mitigation measures.

The SACP calls upon workers’ unions to unite in the fight to defend workers’ rights and interests, including the right to adequate notices incorporating consensus-seeking consultation aimed at preventing or finding alternatives to retrenchments in the Labour Relations Act section 189 processes.

ISSUED BY THE SOUTH AFRICAN COMMUNIST PARTY | SACP
EST. 1921 AS THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF SOUTH AFRICA | CPSA

Dr Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo
SACP Central Committee Member:
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