Poultry workers vow not to return to work until demands are met
This follows a three-month long protest by Spif Beleggings Chickens workers demanding a R300 wage increment and better working conditions.
MOOKGOPHONG – The workers, who are represented by the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu), have been left without any source of an income since May after negotiations between the company and union reached a deadlock.
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Fawu Provincial Secretary, Nelson Semenya, said the protest had gained momentum after their previous efforts to engage with management of the company had failed, leaving around 500 workers with no option but to continue the protest.
“Workers demand a R300 wage increment while the company offered R250. The strike is still continuing. It is a lawful strike and we are still on a deadlock but we are trying by all means to bring the company to the table,” said Semenya.
He further added that the union had to donate food parcels to workers to fill the void caused by the strike.
“The strike started on 18 May and since then, the workers have not reported to work, leaving them with no income for three months. They are just relying on some donations from us,” Semenya told CV.
“We have had several meetings with the company as well as the CCMA in terms of section 150 of the Labour Act but they have not yielded positive fruit. We are involving all our partners in the area to assist us in standing in solidarity,” added Semenya.
The Managing Director of Spif Beleggings Chickens, Kevin Traviss, blamed the poultry recession as one of the contributing factors for their decline of the workers’ demands.
“I understand the need to reach a solution, however it would be inappropriate and not in the interest of resolving the matter to discuss the details with the media. The wage strike started on 18 May and came at a time when the poultry industry was declared to be in crisis with no fewer than 14 poultry companies closing down and thousands of workers being retrenched. This trajectory occurred due to chicken from foreign countries being dumped in South Africa and the drought experienced in 2016 causing the price of chicken to increase by more than 30%,” said Traviss.
He added the continuous strike had been violated the agreement signed by both parties at the CCMA.
“A picket agreement was signed between the company and the union during our CCMA meeting. Unfortunately, the striking employees continued to ignore the terms and conditions of this agreement. The company remains committed to continue discussions with the workers but only once they adhere to the picket agreement that was signed by both parties.”
Semenya responded by saying that workers did not go back to work after the meeting as they were allegedly intimidated by private security and members of the South African Police Services.
