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The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has vowed to pressurise Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa to compel them to take appropriate sanctions against a manager accused of sexually harassing a woman worker.
This was after Numsa escalated the matter to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) on Friday, following the decision taken by the company to issue a written warning to the coach manager after a grievance procedure.
Numsa's spokesperson, Phakamile Hlubi-Majola, said:
READ: Numsa wants to set the record straight on appeal
Hlubi-Majola conceded that the union was not satisfied with the outcome and that it was currently exploring options that would advise their next step, as they were determined to fight the company to reverse its decision.
Ford’s corporate communications manager Duduzile Nxele told City Press that a skilled external professional handled and considered the complaint after the sexual harassment allegations were levelled by Numsa.
“The process conforms in every respect to the code of good practice regulating issues of harassment in the workplace by which the company is bound. The employee concerned has lodged a complaint with the CCMA, which the company will address and respond to in the appropriate manner,” said Nxele.
According to Numsa, the grievance procedure heard how the process manager (who is also her line manager) offered to buy the victim red lingerie to persuade her to have a love affair with him.
The union deployed one of its members to participate in a grievance hearing in December after the victim lodged her complaint in August against the unwanted sexual advances of the process.
The sexual harassment took place in March last year.
Said Numsa in a statement:
The findings of the grievance process chaired by attorney Anndine Dippenaar revealed that the process coach overstepped the boundaries between himself and his subordinate by attempting to pursue a romantic relationship.
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“Dippenaar also found that the company should follow its own code of conduct on the issue. The chair found that the conduct of the process coach is behaviour that 'can be classified as conduct unbecoming of a manager',” said Numsa.
The union added that Dippenaar had no power to determine an appropriate sanction since it was a grievance hearing; hence, she recommended that the company followed its code of conduct.
“Our member is traumatised, especially because she sees him every day at the workplace, even though he is not managing her shift anymore. She has had to go for counselling to cope with the experienced trauma,” read the statement.
