Retrenchment Process

I’m not happy at all with Solidariteit the way they are representing me on my retrenchment process.

15th of July 2020 I received a letter Section 189 from the company that I am working for, then I informed them about what is happening.

I was talking with the lady by the name of Rachelle Van Staden. It took her for ever to come back to me and tell me what is going to happen, 21st of July I called again she sent me documents to fill and send back and also requested me to detail it down what happened, when and how did it happen. She also asked me to send few documents from my side.

I filled and collected all the documents that were required and sent them back on 23rd of July 2020, after that she kept quiet again. I called 27th of July I spoke with the guy by the name of Ian he told me that Rachelle was busy on the other line he’ll pass the message to her, I never received her call. I called again 29th of July she was again on the line she never called me. Then on 3rd of August I sent her an email asking her what exactly is happening, she answered 4th of August and she said she forwarded my enquiry to the relevant department for follow up. Mind you the company is waiting for my union to set the date for a meeting, I ended up giving them Rachelle’s numbers I don’t know if they called or not.

Then 12th of August that is when they only referred me to the guy by the name of Lee Coetzee who is going to represent me. He apologized and told that he was only informed previous day which was 11th. I sent his details same time to the employer to setup a meeting.

The date for the meeting was 20th of August, I waited for him to call me so that I can recap what happened he never did. I decided to call him before the meeting day he never picked-up his phone. Meeting day I sent him an email to find out what I might need to have in that meeting that’s when he rep****. He also informed me that he won’t be there in person he’ll do the meeting via the phone due to lockdown regulations they are working from home.

During the meeting his network was a problem, he would sometimes not hear what being said so they kept on repeating and that gave the employer a chance to bully me. After the meeting I called him so that I can explain the situation and share to him what was happening behind the scene he never answered his phone but I wrote him an email to express how do I feel, he said don’t worry it’s only the first consultation. He wanted few documents and quiet again after again after receiving documents.

10th of September 2020, the company sent an invitation for a meeting to take place on 14th September he never rep**** to the invitation. Then 11th September I sent him an email asking if he’ll be available in person to attend the meeting, he rep**** 12th of September (Saturday) that’s when he said he’s day is very busy he won’t make it they should postpone the meeting. 14th September I sent an email informing my employer that my representative won’t be available for the meeting, they told me it is too late to postpone my notice is officially starting on 15th September and the termination date is 15th October. I sent him an email telling him what is happening and I asked him when is the right time to call him I want to talk to him, he said he’s busy the whole day he can’t talk to me but he feels that the notice is too short notice. I sent more emails from 14-18 September asking about the way forward, telling him that I am staying at employer’s Accomodation when termination date comes they might kick me out and he’s response was he’ll engage with them he never told me way forward.

He only rep**** on 18th of September after I sent him a harsh email asking if do I still have representative or I’m on my own, he rep**** and say his Laptop had a problem so my emails were going to junk. He never bothered himself to and explain the situation of his laptop and he said he cannot talk me his day is busy.

21st September I gave him a surprise call from a different number he answered and he was indeed surprised to hear my voice, he even asked why am I calling with different number, we had an agreement for his to setup a meeting date with the employer, today it’s 28th September no date has been set as yet.

I may not know how retrenchment process works but I was hoping for my representative would guide all the way until the last day, I never expected that’ll be after him asking like he’s owing me money. The way I heard about Solidarity before I joined is totally different from what is happening.