Medupi food fight far from over

LEPHALALE - The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) believes that the two week lock-out of 700 employees of Murray & Roberts from the Medupi construction site in Lephalale was illegal.
Basic Metal and Energy sector coordinator for Numsa, Stephen Nhlapo, told Northern News on Wednesday that although employees were allowed back at work on Monday, the issue has not been resolved. “The dispute has been referred for arbitration and we will continue to submit clear demands to companies like Murray & Roberts and Hitachi.”
The lock-out occurred on 23 April when workers protested against what they called 'poor quality of food' provided by the current caterer.
Murray & Roberts responded in the media saying an investigation was conducted into the catering arrangements at the Medupi site at the beginning of April this year. “The service was found to be substandard and the caterer’s contract discontinued. An interim catering provider was immediately appointed, while a long-term solution is sought to address the concerns raised by union representatives and employees.
“The new caterers meet the contractual standards, have appropriate credentials and experience and presently provide quality catering services to Medupi and other Eskom power projects,” the company said. It said it would continue to provide three meals through the interim catering provider, “while engagement on the matter with trade union representatives and other stakeholders continues”.
According to Nhlapo, workers are unhappy with the choice of meals that is served. “The type of worker employed at Medupi currently is an educated artisan and a lot more skilled. These workers want to have more of a choice about what they eat. You cannot serve the same meal five days in a row. Workers have also complained that the food is prepared long in advance and isn’t fresh when served. We are asking why they continue to use one big company if you can have several local service providers who will provide diversity and more jobs for locals?”
Nhlapo said that should their demands not be met, there would be more protest action in the near future. “We want to see better food, housing and more job opportunities for locals, these companies need to change their attitude.”
According to Nhlapo, Murray & Roberts agreed to engage further with the union, but he says that the process will take too long. “We are concerned that people will become ill because of the food, they need to act now.”
In the mean time Eskom spokesperson Hilary Joffe told the media this week that Eskom is on track for the pressure testing of the boiler at Medupi and that the project is running on schedule despite the lock-out action. A high profile delegation which includes international stakeholders is expected to visit the construction site at the end of May or beginning of June.