Siphiwe Dlamini
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) is set to hold meetings with its members at Ford South Africa following a court interdict that has forced workers to end their strike and return to work.
The strike began as Ford workers demanded a fair share of the company’s profits, along with their performance bonuses. However, the Labour Court declared the strike unlawful and unprotected, mandating an immediate cessation of the industrial action.
NUMSA has been ordered to take all necessary measures to ensure that workers adhere to their employment contracts and resume their duties.
“NUMSA is an organisation established in terms of the law, we operate by way of the law, we respect the law. We have gone to court, and if the court had decided that we go back to law, then so be it. We have received this court order this morning in circumstances where we were already at the picket line,”
NUMSA legal officer Vivani Shezi stated.
Shezi further explained that due to the complexities of production at Ford, workers would not be able to return to work immediately. The agreement is that workers will return to their posts on Monday.
Despite the court’s ruling, the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) spokesperson, Trevor Shaku, indicated that workers had rejected the ruling.
“They have rejected the ruling and they want to continue with the strike on Monday. There will be a series of consultations throughout the weekend and NUMSA and the workers will advise one another, and we will hear from them, as a federation, what decision they have taken,”
Shaku said.
NUMSA has not ruled out the possibility of appealing the court’s decision, which currently prevents workers from participating in or inciting any strike action.
In a statement, Ford warned that further production disruptions would significantly impact the company’s operations in South Africa and the broader economy, urging workers to comply with the court order and return to work.
Ford SA spokesperson Minesh Bhagaloo emphasized the importance of consistent production for the company’s investments and noted that industrial actions affecting manufacturing also harm South Africa’s global competitiveness.
NUMSA’s next steps will be closely watched as they navigate the legal and practical challenges of resolving the strike while addressing their members’ concerns.
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