Winery workers’ struggle continues
Wage agreement reached this week for an 8% increase
ROBERTSON Winery workers are determined to continue their fight for better working and living conditions despite reaching an agreement with their employer. The workers embarked on a strike for more than three months anddemanded a R8 500 living wage.
They settled with the company on an 8 percent increase, across the board, backdated to August and to be paid next month. Head convener of the strike, Deneco Dube said they would now focus on campaigns to ensure they received what they initially asked for.
“Next year we will launch a campaign to organise for workers who do not have unions.”
Dube said the issues spanned throughout the agricultural industry and their strike was a small step in addressing issues in the sector.
“This was just the beginning of a radical approach to issues in the agricultural sector and we will fight continually for the sector. We were forced into this strike, the farmers waged war on the workers.”
Spokesman for the workers and Robertson Winery worker, Emile Maseko said it was a tough battle and despite not getting what they wanted, they made a difference to the lives of many workers.
“Things are changing now for farmworkers. It was a historic strike for us, what was important was that when workers speak they should be heard.”
The Commercial Stevedoring Agricultural and Allied Workers Union said while the increase was far from the living wage they wanted, it represented a significant increase for workers in the industry.
“This would not have been achieved, the strike could not have endured for this length of time without the tremendous solidarity that was mobilised both locally and internationally.”
Robertson confirmed the agreement was reached on Wednesday and said it was for a three-year period.
“This (agreement) will bring the new cost to company to R4 263.56 per month,” said Anton Cilliers, Robertson Winery managing director.
“We believe the union’s on-going demand for an increase of 150 percent was implausible and impossible to consider. However, we remain committed to the overall improvement of the lives of all our employees.”
Cilliers added their conditions of employment continued to include access to free medical facilities for all employees, access to housing loans and subsidies where applicable, as well as broader initiatives toward the economic empowerment of the community.
“As an example, not many parties are aware that Robertson Winery has been party to the purchase and transfer of the farm, Constitution Road, into a trust, 66 percent of which is held by 183 historically disadvantaged women who work on our producer farms.”
Cilliers said they were satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations and looked forward to the resumption of normal operations on Monday.
IT WAS A HISTORIC STRIKE FOR US, IT IS IMPORTANT, WHEN WORKERS SPEAK THEY SHOULD BE HEARD