VWSA, SKF Plans Will Add to Unemployment

VWSA, SKF Plans Will Add to Unemployment NUMSA plans to engage in talks with Uitenhage bearing manufacturer SKF after the company announced it would close the plant by the end of June. It said it was concerned about the plight of 134 SKF workers who are to lose their jobs. The union has also lashed out at Volkswagen SA for its intention not to renew the contracts of between 700 and 800 fixed-term temporary contract workers. Close to 1 000 skilled people will join the pool of unemployed people in Uitenhage if Volkswagen SA and SKF go ahead with their plans. Numsa regional secretary Irvin Jim condemned the decision by Volkswagen SA and said: ¡°Do they not see the rate of unemployment and escalating level of crime?¡± SKF said the plant, with its limited size and dependency on nearly 100 per cent of imported raw materials, could not compete in either the local or international markets. In December, SKF group spokesman Lars Malmer said the closure of the Uitenhage plant was part of measures to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Numsa is to meet with the company next week.