‘A victory for workers’ – Numsa’s Irvin Jim as Ford strike called off

Following a week of Numsa members downing tools at Ford South Africa (Ford SA), the union announced that it had negotiated the return of its members to work.

“This is a victory for workers! As a union, we believe that the working class must benefit from the profits that are generated because workers create wealth. It would not have been possible if our members had not been united in their demands,” said Numsa general secretary, Irvin Jim, in a statement on Thursday evening.

Strike over profit-sharing bonuses

On 4 July, Numsa members downed tools after failing to reach an agreement with the employer at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration. The members were striking because Ford has allegedly not shared its profits with workers through bonuses.

Despite Ford securing an interim order from the Labour Court and Ford’s threat of dismissal, over 3 000 workers refused to return to work, bringing production to a halt.

The union said Ford was a multinational that built about 720 cars a day and could afford some kind of bonus for workers.

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Numsa has announced that it was able to secure an agreement that all workers will be able to return to work and that there will be no disciplinary sanction for those who participated in the strike.

“In addition, Numsa also negotiated that Ford pay workers R20 000 each as a deadlock-breaking mechanism and to pay these monies as soon as possible following the return of workers to the workplace,” the union said.

Report to work on Friday morning

As a result, Numsa called on all workers at Ford to report for their shifts on Friday morning, as the strike has ended.

“Whilst Ford does not regard the aforesaid payment as it acceding to the strike demand of workers for profit-sharing, Numsa is of the firm view that a very important foundation has been laid for workers in Ford (and in South Africa in general) to share in the profits of companies in order to create a more equitable society and eradicate the tendency in the world that a few billionaires can consistently increase their exorbitant wealth at the expense of workers and on the basis of the exploitation of the working class.

“This is indeed a very positive development towards a more just and equitable society,” the union said.

ALSO READ: Ford workers persist in strike despite court order

Additional reporting by Marizka Coetzer