The National Union of Food, Beverage, Wine, Spirits and Allied Workers asserts it will intensify the fight to ensure that Grain Field Chickens staff receive backdated pay hikes
Employees demand that the owner of Grain Field Chickens, an agricultural enterprise called VKB Group, should grant them R600 per month dating back to April.
They also demand that VKB Group accedes to their demand for a 13th cheque payable to employees every December of each year.
“Workers submit that their quest for pay hike had triggered them to picket in an attempt to force the employer to accede to their demands, but such has fallen on deaf ears,” reads a memorandum in part, which they handed over to the employer.
“Instead, the employer has hired heavily armed security personnel, which personnel it is believed to be very expensive.
“Workers further submit that monies paid to the security company is a wasteful exercise, instead VKB should have channeled that money towards a resolution of the dispute.”
Nqobile Tshabangu, the union’s general secretary, said it has been running around in circles with management.
Tshabangu said the union resorted to a peaceful picket in a bid to get the message across. The picket was supported by various political parties and community organisations.
Tshabangu said the union expected management to respond to workers’ demands before end of business on Monday.
“The picketing has not been violent and the march was very successful. This is not where we stop though, as we plan to continue fighting for our members to get what they deserve.
“There are organisations that go around saying that we are taking bribe from Grain Field Chickens management and that is why our members are not yet paid.
“That is not true. Our members deserve a raise and we are here to help them, that is why we are on the ground with them. We are the last to leave.
“An SACP member said we are taking advantage, I think he is sent by management. This fight is bigger than what they [SACP] see.
“We are picketing in Mokopane, which is in Limpopo, Frankfort and Reitz in Free State.” said Tshabangu.
SACP executive committee member Tseko Motholo said he is afraid that people will lose jobs if the union drags its feet to resolve the impasse.
He said union members have been expelled unfairly and they still have not received the R600 increase they demand.
If the union is failing to protect its members, said Motholo, the SACP is prepared to take the matter into its own hands.
Motholo added that it is disturbing that the company can afford to hire an expensive security company to police the picket and march yet it is not willing to improve salaries.
“It is not just an ordinary security but a mob security company. On the same account, this union is doing nothing about that. We shall await their failure and take over from there.”
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