Business Report writes that more than 2,000 permanent and contracted employees at the Lucky Star fish processing plant and its associated Amawandle Pelagic Fishing plant in the Western Cape have initiated an indefinite strike.
They are protesting against what they describe as unilateral and unjust actions by their employer, the Oceana Group. The strike, which began on Tuesday before lunchtime, comes in response to Oceana's alleged withdrawal of a seasonal allowance previously granted to workers and its replacement with a 13th cheque that has been deemed inferior.
Dominique Martins of the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) said that the workers' grievances stemmed from a series of detrimental moves by management that undermined union representation and workers' rights. He said the union was also demanding the reinstatement of the full-time shop steward position, the reopening of the union office on-site, as well as the immediate restoration of the seasonal allowance. Given the protracted negotiations with management, Martins said Fawu members felt they had no option but to resort to their constitutional right to strike.
Oceana on Wednesday confirmed that Fawu had been granted a certificate to strike over the issue of a full-time shop steward position. "All relevant parties were consulted throughout the review process of the full-time shop steward. The designated Fawu office at the company is still operational and the activities of Fawu are recognised," Oceana indicated.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Banele Ginindza at Business Report
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