CCMA to facilitate on RAF pay issue

THE National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) yesterday said it would participate in negotiations with the Road Accident Fund (RAF), which will be facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).

About 1 500 Numsa members at RAF have been on strike since March 16 because the organisation is in dire financial distress. The workers are also demanding wage parity.

“Numsa has resolved to intensify the strike during the course of the mediation and has engaged members to implement a total shutdown of the RAF at the East London, Durban and Pretoria branches,” said the union’s general secretary, Irvin Jim.

“This organisation perpetuates inequality by refusing to deal decisively with massive income gaps. In addition, working conditions for workers are deteriorating at an alarming rate.”

Jim said RAF assets “are routinely” attached over outstanding debt.

“Surely, this cannot be allowed to continue, especially because it has an impact on the RAF’s ability to pay out claims. We are concerned about whether claimants at the RAF have had their confidentiality violated as a result of the chaotic state of the organisation, which is why we asked the public protector to investigate.

“We believe the public protector must ensure that the RAF runs efficiently for the sake of workers and society in general,” said Jim. – ANA