BHUNYA: Sihle Mavuso, the Spokesperson of the Usuthu Forest Products Company Limited(Montigny Investments) has called for calm and negotiations as tension escalates within the royalty connected company.
Speaking to this Swaziland News, the former journalist said as a company, they believed in resolving disputes through peaceful negotiations without undermining the rule of law.
“We believe it’s in our best interest as a company and employees to sit down and peacefully negotiate without violence. In the event we fail to reach an agreement, we can approach the court for redress. If we feel our courts are not doing enough to resolve our differences, we can approach international courts,” said the Montigny Investments Spokesperson, a former investigative journalist.
Montigny workers went on a rampage on Friday and attempted to force entry within the company's premises with an alleged intention of burning the company’s machinery, they are demanding a salary increment and or better working conditions.
The company subsequently ran to court for an interim order directing the police to disperse any illegal gatherings within the company premises.
In the midst of the tension within the company, Montigny forests were allegedly burnt on Friday and the damage might cost the company millions.
It has been disclosed that among other grievances, the employees demanded that the company must stop deducting their subscription monies and giving it to the Swaziland Economic Improvement Workers Union(SEIWU), being a trade union with alleged links to a powerful and politically connected syndicate of capitalists that involve Finance Minister Neal Rijikernberg.
The employees invited the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland(ATUSWA) to address them on Thursday with an intention of joining the union that would represent their interests.
A questionnaire was sent to Mashumi Shongwe, the SEIWU President, however, he had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
Reached for comments, Wander Mkhonza, the Secretary General of the Amalgamated Trade Union Congress(ATUSWA) said as union, they welcomed the call by the company for a dialogue to resolve the tensions.
“We are happy that the company is calling for negotiations to resolve the tensions, we are always ready to negotiate. The challenges facing the workers at Montigny must be resolved and we believe that through negotiations, we will address the grievances. The employees stated categorically that they don’t want the company to deduct their money and give it to SEIWU, they don’t want SEIWU to represent them and this must be respected by the company,” said the ATUSWA Secretary General.
Montigny forests were burnt on Friday amid tension within the company.