The desperate Union was like a dog chasing its tail at Transnet’s head office at the Carlton Centre in Johannesburg, where NUMSA wanted to prove that they have 7 111 members within Transnet.
The NUMSA verification process, ordered after a conciliation at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) deadlocked when the Union with its entourage of twelve representatives could not convince the other parties to deviate from the process, followed as all its previous attempts at recognition within Transnet and the Transnet Bargaining Council.
NUMSA wants to submit new stop order forms and not the stop order forms that it had when it approached the CCMA. Allowing NUMSA to do this would make a mockery out of the integrity of the CCMA. NUMSA allegedly told the CCMA that it already had 7 111 members in Transnet and cannot be allowed to recruit these members afterwards to try and save face, says Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU.
NUMSA also does not want to submit proof that the members they alleged have in Transnet, are indeed paid up members of the Union. Because NUMSA is not recognised in Transnet, employees who join them will have to pay an agency shop fee that gets divided between UNTU, the majority Union in Transnet, SATAWU and they will have to pay contributions to NUMSA.
“NUMSA’s only option is to approach the CCMA to issue a certificate so that their dispute can go to arbitration yet again. The CCMA ruling of last year still stands: NUMSA does not represent a substantial number of employees to grant them recognition. The threshold in Transnet is 25%. UNTU represents 49%.
Issued on behalf of UNTU by Sonja Carstens, Media and Liaison Officer. For UNTU Press Statements phone 082 463 6806 or e-mail sonja@untu.co.za .
