The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has released a statement regarding the call for a national shutdown of the electricity supply.<\/p>\n
The statement said that NUM is unhappy due to the fact that Eskom has \u201cthe audacity to say that they are not giving the workers anything\u201d, even though there have been a number of increases in the country including VAT and petrol and the fact that electricity tariffs are due to increase.<\/p>
Instead, the statement read Eskom wants to minimise or even suspend the hard-earned negotiated conditions of service unilaterally.<\/p>\n
In the statement they said that they viewed Eskom\u2019s approach of sticking to the \u201cstraightjacket mandate of zero per cent to all NUM\u2019s demands by the Eskom negotiating team as a wasteful and fruitless exercise.\u201d<\/p>
\u201cUnder these circumstances, NUM members are calling for a national shutdown of electricity supply.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a painful decision that the brutal Eskom negotiating team pushed our members to take.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will be communicating a programme of action which will run at the national, provincial and branch levels,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n Mayor will give metro-owned land to the people<\/a><\/p>\n Councillors learn about the importance of wetlands<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It carried on to say that workers had heeded the call to have all hands on deck to try and rescue the situation when the country was facing load shedding and the results were astounding with no load shedding taking place again.<\/p>\n \u201cOur members are saying a zero per cent increase is equal to zero per cent megawatts.<\/p>\n \u201cWe urge all hospitals and other national strategic areas to prepare themselves by using backup generators to minimise the damage from the upcoming total blackout.<\/p>\n \u201cEskom workers are tired of being treated like machines.<\/p>\n \u201cWorkers are saying the battle line has been drawn by the reckless decisions by Eskom management,\u201d read the statement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe executive decisions that led to the organisation\u2019s financial woes can never be the worker\u2019s burden, therefore, it can never be correct to make the hard working workers\u2019 pay for irresponsible decisions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe NUM has no option but to react harshly and firmly to this nonsensical offer by making sure that our anger is felt right up to the bone marrow of Eskom.<\/p>\n \u201cA total shutdown is looming,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n In a statement released by Eskom, Eskom said they sympathise with their over 47 000 employees who have worked very hard to help keep the lights on during the past financial year.<\/p>\n However, due to the difficult financial situation that the company currently faces, Eskom has decided to offer no salary increases this year, the statement read.<\/p>\n \u201cEskom has noted the statements made by the trade unions about their intentions to embark on an industrial action this Thursday.<\/p>\n \u201cEskom has been designated as an essential service provider, and, therefore, our employees are reminded that they are not allowed to participate in strike actions.<\/p>\n \u201cIn an effort to ensure security of the power supply, Eskom will activate its contingency measures should the industrial action take place.<\/p>\n \u201cEskom will continue to provide regular updates about the state of the power system through various media platforms,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za <\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n