The negotiations committee of Efling approved the following resolution in its meeting tonight:
By lockout against 21 thousand Efling members, employers have taken the labor dispute to a new and far more serious stage than the restricted strike actions of Efling member have ever done. The lockout decision is a coercive measure, way beyond any proportion. The Employers’ Federation (SA) carries all responsibility for this decision and its consequences, not Efling.
The lockout is consistent with indecent position of SA towards negotiations with Efling, which is to not respect the independent negotiations rights of the union and to refuse to engate in good faith bargaining. Instead, SA rely exclusively on coercive measures, where they count on the direct and indirect intervention of the state and its institutions.
The negotiations committee supports the position of the board of the strike fund, to not cover salary loss due to the employers’ lockout. The employers’ lockout is their responsibility, not of Efling. Employers are obligated to explain to their staff for why they think it is right and necessary to send them home without pay, if that is what they choose to do.
Efling has received confirmation that many employers have announced to staff that they will not comply with the lockout. Additionally, SA have announced that they will not engage in any surveillance to ensure lockout compliance. This confirms that the decision to send workers home without pay is the responsibility of each employer. The negotiations committee encourages to push for answers from their employer on whether lockout will be enforced, and what explanatations they provide for doing so.
Also, the board of the Efling strike fund unanimously agreed on the following on its meeting tonight:
The board of the strike fund of Efling will neither advertise nor accept applications because of salary loss due to the planned lockout by employers. Employers are entire responsible for the shame of sending workers home without pay. The strike fund will not be used to subsidize this political act of sadism.