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Macsteel welcomes the suspension of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) strike, pending further consideration by the Labour Court on 28 April 2023. Macsteel continues to refute NUMSA’s characterisation of the dispute and reason for protest action and expects normal operations to resume.

Macsteel has not unilaterally changed any term and condition of employment and is fully within its rights according to Clause 7 of the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC) Main Agreement. This allows for short time to be implemented in certain situations such as loadshedding. This has been repeatedly addressed with NUMSA and our position in this regard has not changed.

NUMSA’s issue specifically relates to Harvey Roofing Products at the Brakpan facility in respect of adjustments to operational hours implemented in accordance with the loadshedding condition of Clause 7 (2)(b) of the MEIBC Collective Agreement read together with the employment contract.

Loadshedding has had a severe impact on the productivity and sustainability of Harvey Roofing.

If employees are sent home as a result of loadshedding, they must be paid a minimum of four hours per day, unless they have worked more than four hours. In this case they will be compensated for the actual hours worked on that specific day. Unfortunately, with the current extreme stages of loadshedding, Harvey Roofing Products business has been severely disrupted and employees may be paid less than 40 hours if there is no power and they have to be sent home. Macsteel is empathetic to the impact to employees, especially in the tough economic climate.

NUMSA’s demands are that Macsteel must revert to the working hours, shift, and remuneration patterns introduced before implementing the loadshedding condition of Clause 7 (2)(b) of the MEIBC Collective agreement. Amongst these are that Macsteel must guarantee 40 hours per week – and payment of 40 hours per week.

Macsteel followed due process in engaging with all and affected employees at the Harvey Roofing Products Brakpan facility to explore a voluntary and amicable solution in respect of alternative working time arrangements provided for in the Main Agreement.

The company as well as NUMSA are bound by a Collective Agreement (Main Agreement) concluded between various parties at the MEIBC which regulates terms and conditions of employment for scheduled employees.