Montigny workers back at work
MBABANE - Montigny Investments workers, employed under Gundane and Sons, resumed work yesterday after they abandoned their workstations in protest last week.
The workers rioted beginning last Thursday, saying that they wanted out of Gundane and Sons. The employees also demanded that the forestry company restructured its business in order to infuse the payroll of all workers under the control of Montigny Investments. Secondly, they stated that they recognised Montigny Investments as their true employer, not the labour broker, Gundane and Sons.
Visited
When this publication visited the company yesterday, employees were found moving up and down within the premises carrying out their duties. Trucks were seen moving in and out of the company premises. Members of the security forces were found seated at the entrance of the company, guarding the premises. A police vehicle was also seen moving in and out of the factory.
However, it was gathered from some of the company’s employees that despite being recalled to work, their grievances had not been resolved.
The return of the workers was confirmed by Andrew Le Roux, Montigny Investments Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who said proper channels existed for the resolution of legitimate grievances and disputes. He said this after he was asked whether the issues raised by the employees under Gundane and Sons had been addressed before recalling them to work.
“In terms of the issues raised by the employees, is that proper channels exist for the resolution of legitimate grievances and disputes. What transpired was pure criminality and unprovoked violence,” said Le Roux.
The CEO further said Montigny Investments did not utilise labour brokers but only used numerous, mainly liSwati- owned, special contractor. He was responding to a question asked on why the company kept on hiring through labour brokers instead of doing it as a company.
When asked whether the recent demonstrations, which took place at the company, did not have a negative effect on productivity, he said what happened was not a strike action but a violent and unlawful protest.
“This was not a strike but a violent and unlawful protest,” said the CEO.
Le Roux further stated that the company had successfully obtained an urgent court interdict to prevent a reoccurrence of such criminality and to mandate the Royal Eswatini Police Service officers to maintain law and order.
Preventing
He said this while highlighting on the company’s ways of preventing any form of demonstrations in future.
When this publication reached the company’s premises and enquired from some of the employees on whether their issues had been resolved, they said nothing formal had been communicated to them.
One of the employees, who was on the day shift, stated that they made a mistake as employees to return to work after they were recalled by the management. “We haven’t received our responses regarding the petition we delivered last week. I don’t think we will get what we want since we have returned to work,” said the employee.
The employee indicated that upon their arrival yesterday morning, the company’s management had a word with them regarding the situation.
The source said they had started doing their work after the meeting they had.
Wonder Mkhonza, Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) Secretary General (SG), said the employees had not received the responses they were seeking as per the delivered petition last week. He said it was discovered from the meeting they had with the company’s management earlier on that it was not clear which union was representing the workers. He said Swaziland Agricultural and Plantations Workers Union (SAPWU) would be responsible in resolving matters affecting the employees.
Confirm
“I can confirm that the confusion on which union is supposed to resolve the workers’ grievances has been resolved and SAPWU is now responsible,” he clarified.
Worth noting is that last Friday, some of the company’s forests were burnt at around 10:50am. A truck from the Eswatini National Fire and Emergency Services was seen next to the forests trying to put out the flames, while some areas had already been burnt down.
Sihle Mavuso, Montigny Investments Communications Manager confirmed the burning of the company’s forests but said there was minimal damage.
“I can clearly state that there was a fire which was started by some of the company’s subcontractors who were engaged in an unlawful strike,” said Mavuso. He said their response team was quick to respond to the fire which was started by the protesters and that is why the damage was minimal.