MIBCO IN PERSPECTIVE

MOTOR INDUSTRY

MIBCO IN PERSPECTIVE
by Gerhard Papenfus

A ‘stirring’ upheaval has been caused by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) and the Fuel Retailers’ Association (FRA) after an arbitration award granted in their favour, which has subsequently been taken on review, which states that NEASA is no longer a party to MIBCO.

The purpose of this newsletter is to provide some perspective to the victory cries emanating from both NUMSA and the FRA, as a result of this arbitration award.

The National Employer’s Association of South Africa (NEASA) became a party to MIBCO with the objective of advancing the employer cause and also the functioning and governance of MIBCO to the benefit of all stakeholders. This did not prove to be an easy task considering the historical animosity which existed between certain parties to MIBCO at the time of NEASA becoming a party and which lead to the formation of strange alliances, negatively impacting on sound decision-making.

NUMSA, supported and aided by the FRA, not only resisted the change needed to improve the overall performance of MIBCO, but were prepared to potentially sacrifice the future of MIBCO to meet their own ulterior, seemingly political, motives. This included the disruption and prevention of the 2018 Annual General Meeting of MIBCO, as well as the challenging of the constitutional validity of the Council and the decisions it has taken.

NUMSA and the FRA were quick to lay the blame for the dysfunctionality of the Council at the feet of NEASA, rather than expose themselves as the true culprits whose actions have led to the Council entering a state of flux and, in all probability, gave the Minister of Employment and Labour pause when considering extension of the MIBCO main agreement, which has still not been extended to non-parties.

Is it not strange that a single party, in this case, NEASA, according to NUMSA, was able to destabilise the Council to such an extent that it became dysfunctional and unable to extend agreements, and be able to achieve this simply by insisting on proper governance and legal compliance?

A feat to be proud of indeed.

For more information:
NEASA Media Department
media@neasa.co.za

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