https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Medupi workers still not back at work

24th January 2013

By: Natalie Greve

Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

  

Font size: - +

Workers at Eskom’s Medupi power station were not yet back at work by Thursday, despite continued engagement between union representatives and subcontractors.

Talks were continuing with the aim of starting the return to work as soon as possible, Eskom spokesperson Hilary Joffe told Engineering News Online on Thursday.

"The situation at Medupi is calm. As we have said, safety is a priority for Eskom and we require assurances that the site will be safe and that there will be no disruptive or violent behaviour, before the return to work can commence," she said.

She added that there was a Project Labour Agreement governing the Medupi site, to which all the contractors and unions were party and which provided procedures for dispute resolution and disciplinary processes, where necessary.

Workers embarked on illegal protest action on Wednesday last week, resulting in the injury of 25 workers and causing the subsequent lock-out of all employees owing to safety concerns.

Last week’s protest primarily involved workers affiliated to the metals industries and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa who were employed by Hitachi and Murray & Roberts Projects.

While construction timelines remained unchanged, Joffe said any labour disruption posed a serious threat to the project's tight schedule and could impact on Medupi's ability to meet its power generation deadline.

The power station’s first unit is expected to generate first power to South Africa’s national grid by the end of this year.

Edited by Chanel de Bruyn
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor Online

Comments

Showroom

Environmental Assurance (Pty) Ltd.
Environmental Assurance (Pty) Ltd.

ENVASS is a customer and solutions-driven environmental consultancy with established divisions, serviced by highly qualified and experienced...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.083 0.14s - 137pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now