Looming jobs bloodbath roils unions
Partially owned Telkom, retail giant Massmart and ferrochrome producers Merafe Resources and Samancor last week announced that they were in consultation with unions to possibly cut a combined 5765 jobs.
Solidarity deputy general secretary for mining and engineering Willie Venter yesterday admonished the government to urgently re-evaluate the existing economic policies that suppress the manufacturing industry to avert job losses.
“Although companies cite the many challenges experienced in local and international markets as reasons for retrenchments, they also consistently argue that more competitive electricity and transport tariffs are needed to be able to compete with international competitors,” said Venter.
Venter said that the government made it impossible for companies to compete internationally because of its role in increased productions costs, the erratic electricity supply and increases in electricity tariffs, which were the main reasons for the retrenchments.
Source: iol.co.za
