Bus Company, Putco, has expressed disappointment over the National Union of Mineworkers of South Africa's (Numsa) call for a boycott against them for allegedly "waging war on workers“.
As reported in The Star newspaper, Putco's spokesperson, Lindokuhle Xulu, said the union should stop making false allegations against it and making irresponsible calls, instead, both parties should focus on fast-tracking the enquiry process.
“Putco is disappointed by the call of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) urging the public to boycott the company’s services. This comes as 85 union members face a Section 188A CCMA arbitration process for embarking on an illegal strike in September 2022.
“Numsa’s call is irresponsible and out of touch with the economic realities of many South Africans. It essentially asks breadwinners to jeopardise their jobs and the economic wellbeing of their families," he said.
Xulu said Numsa's reckless statement has the potential to affect the existing jobs of Putco employees, including those of its members.
This comes after Numsa accused Putco of mistreating workers who have been placed on suspension after a protest in 2022 that left thousands of commuters high and dry.
"At least 120 workers are suspended by Putco and the management is treating them inhumanely, by violating their dignity while they are on suspension.
"These workers are suspended because Putco tried to withhold increases, which rightly belong to workers," it said in a statement on Monday.
Tension between the two parties was fuelled after they failed to agree on issues of wage increases.
According to the bus service provider, it had applied for an exemption from implementing the 6% wage increase and it was dismissed by the Exemptions Committee because the committee was able to prove that Putco could afford to pay.
"Putco’s refusal to pay the increases provoked workers into withdrawing their labour, and then they attempted to dismiss 1,000 of them," the union said.
Breaking down how Putco was violating the dignity of workers, Numsa alleged that it was forcing suspended employees to go and sit at the depots for every day of their suspension.
"Workers are not allowed to use decent toilets in the company. Instead, they must use the portable toilets provided by Putco," it said.
Putco has dismissed the allegations.
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