Worker strike continues at CFG
Ceres Fruit Growers Managing Director Francois Malan said that the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) is not acting in good faith as their wage demands are up and down like a seesaw.
“Negotiations in good faith are a prerequisite to settling a dispute of this nature. However, in order to achieve this, it is of great concern that FAWU has continuously revised their wage demand upwards and downwards during the negotiations. A wage demand of 12.5% was revised downwards to 8%, thereafter upwards to 10%. In the next communication, FAWU demanded 8.5% which was again revised to 9% in writing on 7 October 2015 as their latest wage demand. However, yesterday, October 8, CFG received correspondence that the wage demand has been revised to 12.% (negotiable). This is in vivid contrast to what has been reported in the media as FAWU’s position and does also not correspond to what was communicated at the negotiations table. It is extremely difficult to try and reach an agreement under these circumstances despite our management’s best efforts."
Mr Msolisi, a spokesman for the FAWU told FreshPlaza on Thursday that CFG had offered an 8% increase with no profit sharing deal, but that they were asking for 10% with profit sharing, after having initially asked for 12.5%. He went on to say that CFG were not willing to negotiate to reach an agreement.
"They must come to the table and negotiate, they must move so that we can meet in the middle, we will negotiate but will not go lower than 9%," said Mr Msolisi.