WORKERS at the Medupi power station in Lephalale, Limpopo were being threatened with disciplinary action through text messages, their trade union said on Friday.
“We reject this reckless and provocative stance taken by Eskom’s sub-contracted companies to threaten workers with disciplinary actions via smses,” the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) said.
According to the union, the text messages read: “Dear employee with effect from 27 March 2015, you are not required to report for duty. The company will proceed and implement disciplinary processes forthwith and you will be notified accordingly.”
Numsa said this would lead to a total shutdown of the power station.
On Friday, contractors at Medupi fired over 1 000 workers for taking part in a wildcat strike last Wednesday. They had demanded better working conditions.
Eskom spokesman Khulu Phasiwe said the contractors employing the workers told Eskom about the disciplinary processes.
“The strike was not legal and the contractors took steps to deal with the issue.”
The union called on Eskom and its sub-contractors to “suppress their egos” and respond to workers’ grievances.
“Any failure by Eskom and its sub-contractors to concede to our demands will leave us little choice but to flex our organisational muscle and collective power, both at Medupi and Kusile power stations.” – Sapa