The National Union of Metalworkers of SA says a local unit of Japanese car manufacturer Toyota has reinstated thousands of members it fired after they embarked on an unprotected strike over an incentive bonus.
An unprotected strike occurs when disgruntled employees elect to down tools in support of their demands without following proper pre-strike procedures such as referring the matter to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration, among other platforms. A total of 610,854 vehicles were produced by the manufacturers in 2018, with 351,139 of them going to export markets in 155 countries.
Ngubane said Numsa officials were prevented from intervening in this issue by Toyota, preferring to deal with the dispute internally. Numsa members became frustrated and “embarked on an unprotected strike”.