DaimlerChrysler has suspended a radio campaign urging workers to return to work as it is now likely the strike will be called off on Saturday.
DaimlerChrysler has suspended a radio campaign urging workers to return to work as it is now likely the strike will be called off on Saturday.
“DaimlerChrysler workers attended a general meeting at the East London plant on Wednesday and Numsa officials told the workers the strike would be suspended with effect from next Monday,” a company official said.
The company had been using two Eastern Cape radio stations, which broadcast in Xhosa and English, to tell workers the strike was almost over and they should return to work at the East London plant.
This is good news for the company, which said it would not be able to fulfil its export contract of right-hand drive versions of the C-Class Mercedes Benz unless there was a return to full production on Monday. This could have cost the company the contract.
DaimlerChrysler warned in a newspaper ad last week that it might be forced to shift some production of the vehicles from South Africa back to Germany if the strike was not resolved soon.
Meanwhile, Delta has been able to continue limited operations at its Kempston Road facility, with about 50 per cent of its staff reporting for work.
According to Delta, by the end of this week striking employees would have lost wages totalling an estimated R3,5 million. In addition to this, many employees will face arrear deductions on their return to work. Delta’s losses equate to some 200 vehicles per day.
About 80 per cent of the employees have returned to work at Volkswagen’s plant in Uitenhage and production has also begun on a limited basis at BMW’s Rosslyn Plant in Pretoria. “Some workers have returned to work, as many cannot afford the continuing personal losses that the strike is causing,” National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of SA representative Nico Vermeulen told Business Day.
