Update
GEORGE NEWS - Employees of the MTO George Sawmill started with a legal strike on Friday 14 July following a deadlock in wage negotiations.
In response to a query from George Herald, MTO released the following statement:
"MTO confirms that its employees at the George Sawmill embarked on a legal strike on Friday 14 July related to a wage negotiation process. The union’s demand, which equates to a 16,5% wage increase across the board is, regrettably, not feasible in the current economic climate. We remain committed to the negotiation process as we actively explore all possibilities of acquiring a workable solution for all involved.
"In relation to working around the load shedding period, the company has been in regular discussions with the union during the course of the year in an attempt to get to an amicable solution, and the NO PAY NO WORK is a direct result of an agreement signed by the union on behalf of our employees.
"As the whole country is dealing with the load shedding crisis, the imminent delivery of the backup electricity generation will be a welcome relief for the company and its employees.
"The midyear shutdown, which is a common practice in a manufacturing environment, is necessary to ensure we are able to do essential preventative maintenance of machinery."
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