Numsa drags Barloworld to Labour Court over 'flawed' retrenchments

Transport and logistics company Barloworld has found itself on the wrong side of the National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa), prompting the union to approach the Labour Court in what it has described as a flawed retrenchment consultation process. 

Numsa headed to the court in Johannesburg on Tuesday where it filed an urgent application asking for the reinstatement of workers the company began retrenching in August at its Barloworld Equipment business, where it employs 3 038 people.

The transport and logistics company is the official dealer for US company Caterpillar (Cat) through its equipment division, providing construction, mining and industrial machine range in 11 southern Africa countries such as Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Angola and South Africa. It is also the official Cat dealer in Russia.