Union fights staff’s dismissal

The Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) is determined to win the CCMA case of the 30 employees fired by Meat Traders Abattoir for an alleged go-slow strike recently, Fawu’s provincial organiser, Sithembele Kilani, said.

Kilani said the strike allegations were untrue and came about as a way of avoiding implementation of the national minimum wage bill.

“This started in January, when the wage bill came into effect. Prior to that Meat Traders had committed to Fawu that it would comply with the minimum wage implementation for its employees,” he said.

The union was surprised to learn that the company had changed the pay dates from employees receiving their salaries on the 25th of every month to a fortnightly payment system.

He said a meeting followed between Fawu and the abattoir team when the union had stated that employees were satisfied with receiving their money on the 25th. However, the company insisted on fortnightly payment, Kilani said.

“Fawu disagreed with the reduction of workers’ salaries because the employer had committed to honour the minimum wage payment bill. The company also cut the working hours, saying workers should go home after they had finished slaughtering the animals for the day. This meant they were only paid for four to five hours a day and their salaries had been reduced to less than they received last year.”

He said employees had previously worked from 7am till 5pm. “Meat Traders breached the act which stipulates that no working changes should be implemented without alerting the union first.

“We want the workers to serve for eight hours a day. Before, the company used to have work for the employees to do to work longer hours and they should continue.

“Some private companies are lagging behind when it comes to implementing the labour laws. The minimum wage law does not state that companies should decrease salaries. These are tough economic times and laying off 30 employees means many households lose their breadwinners.”

He said the company had already introduced new staff to replace the former employees.

He said the CCMA case was scheduled for March 15. A former worker, Lubabalo Hokolo, said: “I have been working here for 13 years. I had given my all to the job and now we have been thrown out. I cannot support my needs.”

Meat Traders Abattoir owner Jack Miles said firing the employees was not his wish.

“I understand that most people were breadwinners. We warned them and pleaded with them to stop the go-slow, but after three days of pleading they refused to stop.”

He said the strike cost the company greatly.

“We were thinking of closing the company, but we had to consider the 40 employees who are still at work. I have replaced the (30 fired) staff and the new staff is performing better than the dismissed one.”

Miles said the company followed the law before dismissing the employees.

“I do not know what led to the staff being disgruntled and embark on a go-slow. I believe it could have been avoided. We tried everything in our power to get them to go back to work. I am sorry this had to happen.”