JOIN MISA, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WILL NEED A UNION

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Dirk Kloppers (65) will always be grateful for the professional and excellent representation he got from MISA’s Legal Department after he had to pack his bags and leave the dealership where he worked as a truck salesperson on his 65th birthday.

“It was horrible and very humiliating. According to my service contract, I had to retire at the end of the year in which I turned 65 years of age, not on my birthday. I have worked in the motor retail industry throughout my live and never needed help from the Union until my very last day,” says Kloppers.

MISA declared a dispute on his behalf. Michael Buitendag and Anneke Venter, labour experts in the Legal Department, represented Kloppers at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) in Vereeniging.

“I felt ill on the day of the hearing because I was so stressed. The moment Buitendag and Venter walked in, I knew I could trust them and that they were not to be underestimated. You should not touch their members without gloves.

“They refused to settle for anything less than what I deserved. I felt vindicated after we reached a settlement agreement. The money I received helped me to pay my bills,” he says.

According to him employees in the motor retail industry should not hesitate, but join MISA so that they can enjoy protection in the workplace.

“I realised that if I did not have MISA to cover my back, I would have been lost. If you belong to MISA, your employer will realise that you are not at his or her mercy,” says Kloppers.

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Issued on behalf of MISA by Sonja Carstens, Media, Liaison and Communication Specialist.