Photo by: Duane Daws
Five thousand employees in the sugar industry could potentially go on strike, as Uasa and other trade unions involved in negotiations currently under way at the bargaining council declared a dispute on Wednesday morning.
Uasa sector manager Gerhard Ueckermann noted that the trade union was now awaiting the appointment of a commissioner by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
As such, a strike was looming ahead for the sugar sector if the dispute remained unresolved, cautioned Uasa spokesperson Andre Venter.
The sugar industry was already in a difficult position because several sugar mills had been shut down in recent months as a result of insufficient sugar cane owing to drought conditions. Companies operating in the South African industry are also being hampered by sugar cane imports from neighbouring countries.
“With the above in mind, Uasa went into negotiations knowing of the difficulties facing the industry,” Venter advised, and, therefore, limited its demands to four.
These were an across the board wage increase of 13.5%, an implementation date of April 1, a medical aid subsidy equal to 100% of contribution by the employer and a discussion at the bargaining council linking a sick fund in terms of Section 28(7) of the medical aid scheme.
Uasa described its approach to negotiations as “very responsible”.
“We initially demanded 13.5% but soon lowered our demand to 9.7%. The counter offer by the employers was 5.3%, and they were prepared to backdate to April 1.
“Our demand for a medical aid subsidy of 100% has been lowered to a 70/30 split, but the employers still refused to entertain this demand,” explained Ueckermann.