Schüssler says if miners had any sense they would have noticed that they have already lost 37.5% of their annual wages. They were offered 8% on day one before the strike started – so they now would need t least 45.5% to make up the loss they have endured during the strike in only the fist year of employment.
The miner would also need to make up debt repayments for the last while and over the next years, which would add at least another 7% or so. “Add the fact that higher salaries bring higher taxes then even the lowest paid guy would need to make another 5% as I suppose he is striking for himself and not for the taxman,” said Schüssler.
We say – as jy dom is moet jy kak. But if they are using the power of striking miners they should consider the effects this will have on their lives…
Meanwhile trade union Solidarity is set to file an urgent application with the Constitutional Court in a bid to restore the right to work for non-striking workers in the platinum mining sector.
“We are in the process of drafting an application. Our aim is to approach the Constitutional Court on an urgent basis for the workers’ right to work to be restored,” general secretary Gideon du Plessis said on Tuesday.
Solidarity was seeking a court order for the services of the non-striking workers to be restored.
The mining companies had suspended work for non-striking employees as a result of the strike.
“We want non-striking workers to be able to resume their work activities,” said Du Plessis.
“They can start with minimum production.”
If successful, the court order would affect about 40 000 non-striking workers, service providers, and contractors. These included Solidarity members and other non-striking workers.
So to the striking miners: wake up! You are going to loose either way. And to the unions, stop messing with peoples lives and do the maths.
