GroundUp reports that more than 80 workers at the Breëriviervallei Bottling Company in Worcester are set to down tools next Wednesday.  The workers are asking for an 18% wage hike among other demands.  

Negotiations between the company and the Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers’ Union (Csaawu) have been ongoing for several months.  The union’s Deneco Dube claimed that the company had not budged on any of the workers’ demands since their last meeting on 24 April.  “This is why we have applied to strike and gave the company seven days’ notice.  We will be calling on all our members to support these workers,” he said.  The company’s MD Livingstone Stanley confirmed that they were in dispute with Csaawu regarding wage demands by their workers, but said they had not yet received a formal notice for “direct strike action”.  “We will issue a formal response at an appropriate time,” he indicated.  The company offers local cellars and wineries assistance with filtration, packaging, warehousing and dispatch of wine.

• Read the full original of Barbara Maregele’s report on the looming strike at GroundUp

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page