Aspen contract job cuts shock

ASPEN Pharmacare yesterday rejected claims that it was retrenching staff, saying the temporary contracts of 116 workers at the Port Elizabeth plant had lapsed and would not be renewed.

The biggest pharmaceutical manufacturer in South Africa said certain contracts with employees in the Eastern Cape had lapsed at the end of June and had not been renewed, in line with operational requirements.

Aspen spokeswoman Shauneen Beukes said the contracts that were not renewed were 116 in Port Elizabeth and 41 in East London.

The SA Chemical Workers' Union (Sacwu) had initially claimed the Aspen was attempting to circumvent forthcoming amendments to the Labour Relations Act that would protect the rights of long-term contract workers, forcing employers to absorb them into their workforce.

A meeting about the termination of the contracts was held between top Aspen executives and Sacwu leaders on Monday.

"The meeting between Aspen and the South African Chemical Workers Union covered a range of fruitful discussions in support of our ongoing relationship, which endorses our joint efforts as part of the recognition agreement previously entered into between Aspen and Sacwu," Beukes said.

"Aspen wants to confirm that it continuously assesses and manages operational staffing requirements based on market dynamics as part of normal business management," she said.

Aspen's two unions in Port Elizabeth and East London are Sacwu and the Chemical Energy Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers' Union (Ceppwawu).

Ceppwawu regional secretary Welile Nolingo said so far none of the part-time or full-time members of the union had reported the matter.

Sacwu Eastern Cape representative Mzwakhe Ntoyakhe yesterday said he could not comment as the union was still in negotiations with Aspen.

An employee whose contract has not been renewed said yesterday they had been working at the company for several years on a month-to-month contractual basis.

He did not want to be named, fearing he could jeopardise possible future employment with the company.

Another said more than 200 employees in Port Elizabeth alone had been out of work since the end of June, because the company claimed its volumes were low. - Cindy Preller