Boardman workers on strike over wages

Consumer and hardware giant, Boardman Bros, faced disruptions outside their Stutterheim premises on Monday, where 76 workers protested against their wage increases and conditions of employment.

Their lock-out has entered its 15th day.

Chief shopsteward Mziwonke Majingo said their grievances dated back to June, when wage increases were due.

“We were negotiating for salary increases and working conditions,” Majingo said.

“Our employer initially said he would only increase by 5.5% and in a our second meeting with him, he said he would increase it by 6%.”

Company MD Richard Boardman refuted the claims, saying the wage dispute had been taken to the CCMA with the protesters refusing the company’s 8% salary increase.

“The dispute was conciliated by the CCMA and the matter was certified as unresolved. These are the union demands, not my workers’ demands.

“We were issued a certificate by the CCMA and locked out those workers who did not want to accept the offer.”

Majingo said the second part of their dispute was that the company failed to address their list of demands.

The Daily Dispatch was shown a three-page list containing 32 demands, which include a 15% wage increase, permanent employment by the company after three months, a 13th cheque, traditional healers’ notes to be recognised for paid sick leave, a R2,000 housing allowance, as well as a transport allowance, medical aid and cash awards for long service.

They also want transport for nightshift workers.

Majingo said: “And they must also change the grading system, we all get paid the same yet we do different work.

“The employer does not want to negotiate on these, he said we must take 6%.”

The workers have also accused the company of hiring temporary workers to fill their jobs. “When the union engaged him about that he said they were seasonal workers.

“We have endured this for two weeks and today we had to turn them back from working,” Majingo said.

Boardman said a vehicle had been allocated to collect staff.

“They declined to make use of the vehicle. They do not have medical aid; they want an above inflation increase, and housing allowance. We can’t give all their demands.”

Boardman said out of 131 employees, 76 had been locked out. “There are people who chose to come to work and many have been intimidated . . . and there is a court order.”

Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union’s Mzwandile Mpofu said Boardman had misled the workers.

“He promised to give them the 8% [increase]. When they went back to work they did not get any of what he promised.”

He said they had reduced their demands to just four and would continue to protest until these were met.

There are people who chose to come to work and many have been intimidated