The five-week long protest at VKB Group is evidently far from over as the agricultural enterprise fails to reach an agreement with the labour union.
VKB Group has accused the National Union of Food, Beverage, Wine, Spirits and Allied Workers (NUFBWSAW) of failing to meet the offer it set.
Engagement manager George Gemishuys said a competitive increase proposal was fairly presented to all relevant organised labour unions representing their employees and it entailed an annual increase which they consider reasonable.
“The wage increase was successfully negotiated with FAWU (Food and Allied Workers Union) and Solidarity and already implemented. NUFBWSAW did not accept the offer, which led to the protected strike by their members at facilities of VKB Agri processors in Reitz, Frankfort and Mokopane, which includes the Grain Field Chickens facility in Reitz.
“Public claims that Grain Field Chickens are under shutdown are incorrect. A lock-out is currently underway but only applies to the members of NUFBWSAW. Work and production at the company’s facilities continues in the meantime,” said Gemishuys.
He said they insist on the proposed R500 increase as the offer is based on the current economic climate and competitive in relation to the inflation rate. He said it was untrue that the company would offer R500 increase dating back to April this year.
He said no employee has been denied an increase, emphasising that non-members of the union received their increases and all that had to be done to reach an agreement.
“It remains important to the VKB Group to act in good faith and with mutual fairness towards all employees. The company remains positive that an agreement can be reached with NUFBWSAW and its members.
“The company can only implement wage increases for the members of NUFBSAW once an agreement is reached with the union,” he said.
Tseko Motholo, SACP executive committee member, said they lack trust in the union under suspicions that they are playing employees as a pawn in their hidden agenda.
“SACP awaits a finality of this matter by the parties involved, so that it can begin to intervene because there is no truth from the union involved. They have misled the workers all along,” said Motholo.
Attempts to reach the NUFBWSAW general secretary Nqobile Tshabangu drew a blank.
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