More than 1,500 workers at Ceres-based Du Toit Agri Pty belonging to South African labour union Farm Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) went on strike on Thursday in a dispute over pay and working conditions.
The action comes less than a month after the resolution of a damaging six-week strike by FAWU workers at another Western Cape producer, Ceres Fruit Growers (CFG), which brought shipments during a standstill at a critical time in the season.
The workers are Du Toit are demanding a 9.5 per cent wage increase, above the 8.25 per cent rise that the company is said to be offering.
“Our members are also aggrieved over the huge wage gaps between workers in the Western Cape as opposed to those working at Langkloof in Humandorp, Eastern Cape,” FAWU said in a statement.
“Our members in the Western Cape earn about R1,200 per week while those at Langkloof Cape earn the same amount in a fortnight. We see this as pure and utter discrimination.”
In order to reduce the wage gap, employees in Humansdorp are demanding a 10.5 per cent pay increase.
FAWU said it also disagreed with Du Toit’s proposal to grant new employees a 2 per cent contribution towards the providend fund while permanent union members are entitled to a 5 per cent contribution which is matched by the employer.
The action is the latest show of strength by the labour unions in the Cape region ahead of next year’s national elections and is believed to have been driven by the successful outcome of last month’s walkout at CFG for FAWU workers.
