COSATU led a protest march to Parliament in Cape Town as part of organised marches around the country on Wednesday, March 7, 2012. Discontent is growing among the workers in South Africa., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
SACCAWU statement on ongoing industrial action in the sector
1 August 2013
Introduction:
Currently SACCAWU is involved in two strikes in which close to 400 workers are participating, while further two strikes are scheduled to commence on the 1st and the 2nd of August respectively. Of the two coming strikes, the first involve more than 200 workers, while the second cover a Pretoria Bargaining Council with more than 15 000 workers and 10 000 of which are SACCAWU members.
Unlike suggestions by some analysts, that workers turn to strikes too easily in South Africa, or that workers` demands are unreasonable, we believe this not to be the case. For workers to go on strike is not an easy decision. This decision usually is the consequence of long processes of negotiations with management, exploring all legal routes to resolve such disputes. Only if this process does not yield desired results will workers consider the option of industrial action. And even then a lengthy legal process set out in our labour legislation is followed before we can and do embark on strike action. On top of that workers always have to and do contemplate and weigh-up the implications for themselves, their families and other dependents on their meagre income before they conclude whether to strike or not. Thus the decision to strike is really the last measure considered by workers in the face of intransigent bosses. Often the strikes for wages are desperate measure to respond to pressures faced by workers and their families due to the erosion of their living standards.
Today South Africa is seen as one of the most unequal societies in the world and this inequality is constantly growing. This is coupled with the high unemployment levels in the country, especially with such a weak social protection system as we have places enormous pressures on the working poor in general and our constituency in particular which are one of the lowest earning sectors in the economy after domestic and farm labour. This pressure on the employed is further be-devilled by the parasitic labour broking system which drives more and larger numbers of workers especially women who are placed into precarious employment contracts that in turn erode benefits and drive wages down, make them more vulnerable and worsen the levels of poverty. This is coupled with the risings costs of transport, food, health, clothes and other basic needs which places further pressures on workers and often give them know alternative but to resort to their last and only weapon of withdrawing their only power in a form of labour.
At the same time and as has been demonstrated in numerous studies, reports and comments by various researchers and analysts, the bosses are having it good. They live lavish lives, paying themselves extraordinary high salaries, bonuses` and perks irrespective of whether or not their companies perform well. This skewed state of affairs and the bosses` lavish lifestyles are often flaunted with little regard in the face of the poor.
It is for this reason that COSATU Collective Bargaining Conference saw the need for mandatory centralised bargaining, legislated minimum wages and the ban of labour-broking and SACCAWU was the main supporter of these resolutions.
This state of affairs has resulted into general increase in strikes over the last year or so, cutting across industries, from mining to agriculture, including the sector we organise in wholesale, retail and hospitality. We believe the workers demands are legitimate and we are fully behind these strikes taking place currently.
Finally, as was indicated earlier, the taking of strike action is the last resort for workers and these current strikes are taking place as a result of bosses generally refusing to consider or shift from, what in the view of the Union and our members are unreasonable and unacceptable wage offers.
Current strikes
Jack Snacks
This is a factory based in Nelspruit employing mainly women engaged in processing and distribution of Snacks, Pops, Maize & Corn Naks and Puffs. At this establishment there are no fix hours, nor any minimum wages. While we have secured a minimum of 180 hours per month in the negotiations prior to the strike, this was subsequently withdrawn by the Company after we deadlocked on wages and workers embarked on protected strike action. This strike started on 15 July 2013, and is still continuing with the Company now threatening retrenchments in an attempt to break the unity of striking workers. The workers demand R3 500 minimum wage, and as was indicated earlier, currently there is no minimum wage. On average workers here earn between R1 800 and R2 000 per month depending on the amount of hours they are scheduled to work. Further, the workers also demand a guaranteed 180 hours per month, initially agreed upon but since the strike as a way to threaten, intimidate and force workers back to these extreme exploitative conditions have been withdrawn by the Company. The Company, in an attempt to break the strike has now threatened workers with retrenchments instead of meeting with the Union to seek a resolution to the dispute. The more than 110 workers remain strong and united continue with the strike action and we call on the public in general to support these workers.
Contact Mpumalanga Regional Secretary
Patrick Skosana: 0823368173
Nola Food Corp
This is a factory based in Roodepoort where more than 200 of SACCAWU members has been on strike since the 25th of July and currently remain on strike. This Company processes and distributes cooking oil, margarine, rusks and pet food amongst others. Workers initially demanded an increase of 10.5% across the board, while management only offered 6.5%. In a subsequent meeting during the strike held on the 29th of July, in an attempt to break the deadlock and resolve this dispute, workers revised their offer to 8.5% across the board. This was rejected by the Company which has not shifted from its initial offer of 6.5%. After consulting with member again, striking workers view the attitude of management as extremely intransigent despite attempts by the Union to resolve the dispute and decided to continue the strike. The workers remain united and stand firmly behind their demands.
In both these strikes what is clearly demonstrated is the hostility and intransigence on the side of management and the complete insensitivity towards the plight of their workers that is and has always been the source of the enormous profits they make.
Contact Wits Regional Secretary
S Majova: 0823367118
Nedan Oil
This factory is based in Mokopane, in the Limpopo province. More than 200 of SACCAWU members will embark on strike action from the 1st of August. Workers demand an increase of R1550 for the lowest earning employment category to R1 100 for the highest earning category. This figures will bring the average wage in this factory slightly more than R5 000 per month. Management have remained at their position of 8% increase for all categories which will bring the lowest and average to about R4 000. The strike will be regularly assessed throughout.
Contact Northern Region Regional Secretary
Cyril Dibakwana: 0823368382
or
Richard Matjila: 0823368436
Pretoria Bargaining Council for Food retail, Restaurants, Catering and Allied Trades
This Bargaining Council cover more than 15 000 workers in its scope, with SACCAWU having 10 000 members. There are three Unions representing workers covered by this Council. These Unions have formed a joint co-ordinating committee that will lead and guide this strike and all three Unions will be participating in this strike including other unions which do not participate in this Bargaining Council. This Bargaining Council covers about 200 establishments with outlets like; Wimpy, Nando`s, Pie City, Romans Pizzas, Fedics, King Pie, Chicken Licken, KFC, Compass group and others. In the run-up to the decision to strike regular meetings were called and after the deadlock at the Council and on obtaining of a certificate to embark on protected industrial action the workers decided to embark on a protest march in Pretoria on Friday the 2nd of August 2013. The march will start at 11h00, from Schubart park at the corner of Schubart and Proes streets and proceeds to the Bargaining Council situated in MBA building in Church street, between Beatrix and Hamilton streets where the memorandum of demands will be delivered at 13h00. Three unions will convene an assessment meeting after this march and decide on a wayforward depending on the attitude of the employers. It is expected that the majority of our members and those of the other Unions will join this action. In this sector, the minimum wage is R2 169, while the average wage is R2 509. Workers demand a 12% adjustment on the current minimum salaries and 10% across the board increase for those earning above the current minimum salaries. Other key demands placed before the Council and that form part of this dispute are; improved hourly rates for Sunday and Public Holiday work, paid sick leave for casual workers, annual bonus and family responsibility leave, and the scrapping of independent waitron category, the abolishment of using labour broking and the conversion of these category of work to full-time position.
Contact Northern Region Regional Secretary
Cyril Dibakwana: 0823368382
or
Richard Matjila: 0823368436
In conclusion, given the general onslaught on workers standard of living through depressing of wages in the context of the continued rising costs of living faced by the workers and their dependants, we believe that all these strike and the demands are not only reasonable, but also legitimate and we call on the public in general to support these striking workers.
Thank you
Mike Abrahams
media@saccawu.org.za
0823365363
Hospitality,Industrial,Catering,Retail and Allied Workers Union (HICRAWU) Press Statement
HICRAWU was admitted as a party to the bargaining council on the 2 April 2013 and it immediately joined forces with both SACCAWU and CCRAWUSA in substantive negotiations for the industry within the scope of the council.
These negotiations started at the beginning of APRIL until the conciliation process which failed to resolve the dispute on the 11 July 2013. Amongst the core demands are:
12% minimum wage increase
10% across the board increase
10% big employer
R5.00 per hour night shift allowance
Sunday work to be pay at time and half
While these demands do not represent the entire demands of the members, the employer parties have displayed a lack of interest in the process and their attitude towards the negotiations is that of lack of commitment.
The catering workers are amongst the lowest paid in the country and their demands are not even for a living wage but for a minimum wage.
The employers had since the start of the negotiations claimed to have no mandate to negotiate on other issues. They are only prepared to negotiate on five items being;
Duration of agreement
Minimum wage
Across the board
Transport allowance
Family responsibility leave
You then ask yourself what would it cost employers if they were to consider the unions proposal of not employing illegal foreigners. They say they have no mandate or offer.
Workers are saying they want their employers to listen to their proposals and consider their proposals as basic demands.
For the 70 years of the bargaining council existence, workers falling under its jurisdiction had to endure suffering and exploitation. Employers cannot come to terms with the fact that workers patience had run out and that they are no longer prepared to generate profit while they get next to nothing .This had prompted the workers to consider other alternatives and in this instance resolved to march to the bargaining council offices to deliver a memorandum on the 2 August 2013.
Even before the strike/march starts, workers are facing threats of dismissals and intimidation.
By Martin Modise
Negotiator
Mobile:0833850159
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