Planned strike action, protect your business
JOBURG – With the planned strike action today, have you taken the necessary steps?
The planned nationwide strike on 25 April by the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) will shut down all public transport services and could affect businesses in the area.
The protest action is to protest the minimum wage hourly rate, and while businesses are theoretically protected by law during strike action, the reality is that intimidation and damage to property are often the order of the day.
This according to Jason Mordecai of 7 Arrows Security who has provided some tips to protect your business.
“Proper emergency planning for a strike is essential. Does the strike apply to all of your employees, or are employees such as admin staff excluded?”
Mordecai said if it is a national strike you can assume that people other than your employees will attend the strike and will congregate outside of your property.
“Remember that employers have the right to lock out striking employees.”
He said scab labour will almost always antagonise the protesting employees and it is very difficult to secretly ferry labourers onto a site.
“The safest option is to limit the number of operations at the business and, if possible, to keep non-essential employees offsite.”
Mordecai said to plan and prepare for trouble and evaluate the physical strength of access control structures. “Gates should be locked and given extra bolstering, add chains, locks and other solid barriers.
“The building needs to be locked down with strong physical structures. Where possible company vehicles should be locked away or even kept offsite.”
He said cameras can be a useful post incident tool, especially in the case where violence or destruction of property occurs. “Ensure that you have cameras facing the protesters gathering area.” It is not wise to directly film or photograph protesters as this will inflame the situation.
Mordecai said to contact your local police sector commander and security provider and request a meeting to discuss the dynamics of the strike action.
“Security staff should be stationed inside the property to limit physical contact with the strikers and consider what action is to be taken in the event that the strikers enter the property,” ended Mordecai.
Have you planned for the protesting action today? Share your views with us on our Facebook page.
https://sandtonchronicle.co.za/201507/10-things-need-know-saftustrike-tomorrow/
https://sandtonchronicle.co.za/201531/every-worker-right-strike-need-know-saftustrike/
