Automotive industry workers recently retrenched in the Eastern Cape are now receiving training General Motors SA has announced.

The training was being provided by the Automotive Industry Work Security Fund (WSF).

"The fund was set up in the late 1990s to support the re- skilling of individuals in the automotive industry who lose their jobs as a consequence of retrenchments," GMSA said.

The Port Elizabeth-based company said original equipment manufacturers in South Africa paid 10c into the WSF for each hour worked per employee.

In the event of retrenchment, these funds were available for skills development to enable retrenched employees to be reskilled, GMSA said.

This would "maximise their prospects" for finding alternative employment outside the motor industry.

GMSA human resources vice- president Chris Thexton said that almost 300 retrenched employees had registered for the programme and were taking part in various skills development courses.

Thexton said the courses were mostly trade-related and ranged from brick-laying, plumbing and carpentry to driving and computer courses.

GMSA was working with local project management company Real Development.

It had secured the services of credible local training institutions, including Eastcape Training Centre, (ETC), the Business Incubator, the Community Self-Employment Centre (Comsec) in Port Elizabeth and other service providers.

"We are confident that the unemployed individuals are maximising their prospects of securing alternative employment after completion of these courses," Thexton said.

Although most of the affected employees had helped to build cars throughout their working lives, many were still unable to drive one.

Thexton said 50% of these employees had opted for driving lessons in light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles at ETC and various driving academies.

At Numsa's special Eastern Cape congress at the weekend, union regional secretary Mphumzi Maqungo acknowledged that workers who had been retrenched were receiving training "so that they can be absorbed by the industry".

In a report to the congress, he said 1000 workers had been retrenched over the past two years. He hoped they would soon receive the unemployment benefits they were entitled to.

Maqungo said Numsa would hold a recruitment drive. Fewer than 40000 workers in the motor sector were members of the union, compared to more than 100000 who were not.

He said a national strategy was needed to deal with this and other issues such as the co-ordination of organising campaigns, collective bargaining and the removal of "barriers" that prevented the union from organising.

Most of those who are not union members are employed in garages and smaller businesses such as panel beaters.