Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 23-05-2017
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) has confirmed that General Motors (GM) has issued a notice of retrenchment to employees at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
Last week the company announced that after a 91-year history, it intends to pull out of the South African market at the end of the year.
Following a meeting with the management of GM on Monday as part of consultation, the car manufacturer confirmed it is winding down manufacturing operations locally and that out of a total workforce of 1500 people, close to 600 workers are to be retrenched by July 2017.
NUMSA’s Phakamile Hlubi says they are concerned about the impact the job losses will have on workers and their families.
“”We have a crisis with over 35% of the labour force being unemployed. It is unlikely that workers will be able to find employment after retrenchment. The majority of workers in this country support extended family so the job losses will have a devastating impact on the community.”
Last week GMSA’s president and managing director Ian Nicolls said the decision to pull out of South Africa was a global decision and was not influenced by any local economic short-term considerations at all.
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