** *PRESS STATEMENT ON BRIDGESTONE – SA (PTY) LTD*
*30 March 2011* The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (*Numsa*) condemns in the strongest possible terms the provocative and highly irresponsible conduct of Bridgestone SA (Pty) Ltd, in respect of the locking-out of workers at its Port Elizabeth and Brits plants. This action follows on Bridgestone having lost a private arbitration process earlier this year in terms of which its contention that it was not bound by the terms of the Collective Agreement on wage increases concluded in the Tyre Industry in 2010 was dismissed. In terms of that arbitration award only a small category of so-called red-circled employees are not covered by the terms of the Collective Agreement and until agreement has been reached on this category they will not be entitled to any wage increases. Inexplicably Bridgestone has now resorted to the locking-out of its entire workforce in an attempt to coerce Numsa in accepting a wage increase for these red-circled employees which increase does not correspond with the wage increases being paid to other red-circled employees in the employ of Continental, Goodyear and Apollo Tyres. As such Bridgestone attempts to undermine the Industry Collective Agreement which was concluded in September 2010 after a protracted period of industrial action. Numsa also finds the timing of Bridgestone’s lock-out to be of significance. It is no coincidence that this occurred soon after the devastating tsunami in Japan. The impact of that disaster on production and supply processes is well known and instead of dealing with these problems in an open and fair manner, Bridgestone elected to resort to its present underhanded tactics without any bilateral meetings with Shopstewards or the Union. Numsa will fight this despicable attempt to maximize profits at the expense of ordinary workers. Not only is Bridgestone’s lock-out grossly unfair but it is also illegal. This is not the first time that Bridgestone will have willingly flouted the laws of this country. Fresh in our memories is the charge of “*collusive tendering, price fixing and information exchange”* against the four major tyre manufacturers - Apollo Tyres South Africa, Goodyear South Africa, Continental Tyre South Africa and Bridgestone South Africa. However, Bridgestone cleverly escaped prosecution by applying for “conditional immunity from prosecution”. We know that the actions in which Bridgestone admitted it had participated in, contributed to the steep coordinated price increases of tyres. This in turn resulted in increases in food prices as transport costs soared. This affected the poor and working people of this country. By chickening out and pleading immunity from prosecution, Bridgestone avoided paying the possible penalties this crime of price fixing and collusion attracts in this country. We of Numsa want to place it on record that we regard Bridgestone as a unscrupulous employer and union basher. Bridgestone is not ashamed to extort maximum profits from poor workers whom it has no feelings for, even if they would starve because of its contribution to price fixing of tyres!! As a large tyre manufacturer – arguably the largest in South Africa – we know that Bridgestone has the economic and financial muscle to blackmail this country. But, as a revolutionary union, we wish to state very clearly that Bridgestone’s days of tomfoolery are numbered; we are ready and willing to take it on! As a union we are left with no option, but to take Bridgestone head-on. We are going to engage the following strategic institutions with the view to compelling Bridgestone to re-think their lock-out: · Ministry of Trade and Industry · Fuel Retailers Association (FRA) · Auto Mobile Employers Organisation (AMEO) After having engaged the above, and should we be compelled to do so, we will respond to Bridgestone’s lock-out by way of giving notice of formal strike action and calling on all our members in the automotive component, motor and tyre industries to embark on secondary strike action in solidarity with the Bridgestone workers until Bridgestone terminates its lock-out of innocent workers. It is unfortunate that Bridgestone is forcing Numsa to take this route which will no doubt be very harmful to the entire motor and related industries, being the back-bone and biggest contributor to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Should this happen Bridgestone will have to take full responsibility and face the consequences! *Issued by Irvin Jim, General Secretary* For interviews requests contact: *Castro Ngobese, National Spokesperson* *Mobile*: 073 299 1595 *Land Line:* 011 689 1702 www.facebook.com/ Castro Ntobeko Ngobese www.twitter.com / castrongobese -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
