By Odwa Mkentane
The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) has thrown its full support behind the Food and Allied Workers’ Union (FAWU) and thousands of sugar workers who have embarked on protected strike action following the breakdown of wage negotiations.
At the heart of the dispute are demands for improved wages and benefits, as workers push back against rising living costs and what they describe as an unfair burden being placed on those who produce the industry’s wealth.
In a statement earlier this month, Premier Group said the business was no longer sustainable. About 90% of the factory’s production was exported.
SAFTU National Spokesperson Newton Masuku says the Sugar Manufacturing and Refining Employers’ Association (SMREA) has offered a mere 5.4% wage increase, while attempting to present an additional 0.6% as though it were part of the current offer, despite making it conditional on a future government decision regarding tariff protection.
“FAWU is entirely correct to reject this attempt to shift regulatory risk onto workers. Workers cannot pay rent, buy food or settle electricity bills with promises contingent on decisions over which they have no control. Their expenses are immediate and unconditional; their wages must be the same. The strike takes place against the backdrop of one of the worst cost-of-living crises in democratic South Africa. Inflation may have moderated, but workers continue to confront relentless increases in electricity tariffs, transport costs, municipal charges, food prices and housing expenses. Millions of workers remain trapped in working poverty despite being employed full-time, while nearly half of the country’s labour force remains unemployed, underemployed or discouraged from seeking work. Employers cannot expect workers to absorb these mounting costs through wage restraint while expecting them to maintain productivity and support their families,” said Masuku.
In a joint statement, various unions, including COSATU, SACTWU, Solidarity, AFADWU, NUFAS and the Canning Fruit Producers Association (CFPA), have called on Tulbagh CEO Kobus Gertenbach to suspend the retrenchment consultations for 12 to 24 months.
“First, there should be no merger-related retrenchments for three years. Secondly, any retrenchments that do occur must be presumed to be merger-related, unless Premier proves otherwise to the Competition Commission. Premier has not yet discharged the burden of proving that these retrenchments are unrelated to the merger. Nevertheless, it has triggered a retrenchment process. On the facts as they stand, Premier should not be proceeding with this process at all. Whatever else the Competition Commission may decide in its current investigations, we believe it was reckless to signal the desire for closure and retrenchment to workers, farmers and the market before getting the approval of the Commission. These risks create a self-fulfilling cycle that erodes the business case for this factory, potentially making it harder to save,” the statement reads.
VOC
Photo: Screenshot/Facebook
