CCBSA Delvand workers demand fair working conditions

Coca-cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) employees in Devland downed their tools and went on a protest against poor working conditions. The protest took about three working days starting from September 26 outside the firm.

Emotions were high as workers sang songs of liberation and demanding the company to hear their grievances.

The purpose of the strike was to outline issues that CCBSA employees are facing both in the warehouse and production site.

According to employees, they work six days a week without any shift rotational patterns, making the night shift workers (10pm-06am) receive even more strenuous working conditions.

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“The company offered us a 4.8% salary increase with the same unhealthy working conditions we have worked under.

“However, we accepted the increment but not the poor working conditions,” said one the employees representing warehouse.

“Initially, the six days strategy was only executed during peak season but now it has become our new normal, without overtime or other incentives.”

According to the basic conditions of the employment act, no one should work more than 45 hours a week. It also states that night work is unhealthy and can lead to accidents. If you work between 18:00 and 06:00 you must get extra pay (allowance) or be able to work fewer hours for the same amount of money.

“We want to show CCBSA that we can withdraw our services and that will put them in a position of losing business. We are demanding fair labour treatment for all our employees.

“Salary increase should be followed by healthy working conditions,” said Lufuno Muvhali, Regional Chairperson of the National Union of Food, Beverage, Wine, Spirit and Allied Workers union (NUFBWSAW).

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Employees also claimed that some of them who have served ten years and more within the company were denied their retirement funds because CCBSA claimed to not have enough money to pay them. Others were allegedly told that they left before their retirement period arrived.

According to Velaphi Ratshefola, CCBSA Managing Director, the six day shift configurations were implemented in 2010 without rotational configuration stating that the salary increase and existing working conditions were intertwined.

“The six day shift is pure operational and if we were to rotate, it would mean I have to employ more people even when I don’t need them. On top of that the night shift workers receive 40% night shift allowance which then makes them refuse to rotate because they make so much money,” said Ratshefola. “If they want to come back, I’m ready for them to resume work and for us to work like we’ve been working since 2010.”