Gallery Video
GEORGE NEWS & VIDEO- About 60 employees of MTO Foresty downed tools on Monday morning to protest for, among other things, a minimum wage of R4 200.
The employees, who are protesting under the banner of the National Certificated Fishing & Allied Workers Union (NCFAWU), vowed to protest until their demands are met.
Senior Regional Organiser of NCFAWU, Clarence Mtyenele, said they reject MTO's initial offer and are demanding a 10% increase across the board.
Currently, employees are earning a total of R3 100 a month, which he says is too little given the scale of their work and the current cost of living.
Matyele is also demanding a 17% night shift allowance for their members, who are currently getting a 14,5% allowance.
"Our members will continue demonstrating their dissatisfaction with poor salaries.
"We apologise to the public and customers for the inconvenience, but our members are the breadwinners of many families and the cost of living is too high.
"They have no choice but to withdraw their labour until their justifiable demands are met," said Mtyenele.
The protest started after the negotiations between the two parties reached a deadlock and the matter was referred to the CCMA.
Conciliation failed and a certificate was issued by the CCMA last Friday for the strike to start on Monday.
Watch a video below:
MTO Forestry responds
Gretchen Blake, chief people officer at the MTO Group, said the action that has been taken by NCFAWU is unnecessary and that with meaningful discussion the parties can reach a settlement.
"The safety of our employees and having reasonable discussions with NCFAWU are our top priorities. We shall not tolerate our employees being intimated or victimised," said Blake.
She said some of the employees at the George Sawmill joined NCFAWU this year. The company's other trade union representation includes the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (Ceppwawu) and the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), with whom the company has built a longstanding relationship.
Click here for a photo gallery.
"MTO engaged NCFAWU to conclude a relationship agreement. This agreement has not been finalised to date.
"Despite this, we agreed to engage with NCFAWU on wages and other matters of mutual interest.
"This was in an attempt not to compromise our employees who had an expectation of an annual July salary review.
"All other employees were given adjustments in July, which have been agreed upon by Ceppwawu and Numsa.
"A number of NCFAWU members also signed acceptance of the wage agreement."
According to Blake, NCFAWU declared a dispute just after the second round of wage discussions, demanding an increase which equates to a rise of 27% on the basic wage.
The union also included a demand for an agency shop agreement which will force all employees to pay a union membership fee to NCFAWU, irrespective of their trade union affiliation.
In return, MTO has offered a competitive increase in the basic wage and offered to move the implementation of the new national minimum wage requirement to be effective from 1 January 2018.
The new wage requirement is only enforceable in May 2018.
"Regardless of MTO's willingness to engage and reach an agreement to our mutual benefit, the NCFAWU called for a CCMA certificate to strike, which was issued at 16:05 on Friday 13 October," said Blake.
"We are really disappointed in the unwillingness of NCFAWU to engage in discussions. This is not in the best interest of the majority of our employees, the company and the wider community."
The two parties are yet to meet and find a solution or a compromise to this matter.
Read two press releases below:
Read a previous article: Strike at MTO Forestry
ARTICLE: KRISTY KOLBERG, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'
