Strike action at a Premier FMCG confectionery plant is now in its fourth week after the South African group failed in a court bid to halt the walkout.
The strike at the factory in Germiston began on Monday (19 August) as staff involved seek a minimum wage and also a pay increase.
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Last week, Premier FMCG asked a labour court in Johannesburg to intervene to stop the strike amid claims the action had turned violent but its move was thrown out.
According to the Simunye Workers Forum (SWF), workers are demanding a basic salary of R19,500 ($1,089) a month and those already on that pay level are looking for a rise of R15 an hour.
The SWF claims staff at the Wadeville site, which makes Mister Sweets confectionery are not paid a “basic salary”.
It says workers have been “earning very low wages of R6,000-R,7000 per month for ten years”.
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By GlobalDataAsked for a reaction to the court’s verdict, for an update on how the action had affected production and whether Premier FMCG would look to hold talks with those on strike, the company sent a statement to Just Food.
“Premier is committed to providing a safe working environment for all our employees whilst ensuring continued supply of products to our customers and consumers in the communities in which we operate. We have and will continue to engage with the employees and their representatives to resolve the strike quickly and amicably. It is regrettable that some employees have resorted to intimidation and violence towards those wishing to continue working.”
The factory also produces sugar confectionery under the Manhattan, Champion, Frutus, Candy Tops and Rascal brands for domestic and international customers. Premier FMCG said production and distribution continues “albeit at reduced capacity”.
In a statement sent to Just Food today, the SWF said Premier FMCG has moved production to another factory, where staff are being “forced” to sleep on mattresses to run lines. The union said the company is refusing to negotiate.
Just Food asked Premier FMCG for comment. A spokesperson said the company “does not concur with the statements” and added: “We continue to run our operations and focus on ensuring non-striking employees are not impacted by intimidation and violence from striking employees.”
According to the manufacturer’s statement, it agreed a pay deal with another union, the UCIMESHAWU, of a wage increase of 7% backdated to January 2024, an offer it says “is above average wage inflation”.
The “majority” of staff accepted the deal but others rebuffed the offer and asked for the R19,500-a-month basic rise and a R15-per-hour increase for workers earning more than that level. After arbitration failed, action was called and Premier FMCG issued a lockout notice.
Some 385 out of 602 employees have participated in the strike, with some having returned to work during the action, Premier FMCG said.
“Mister Sweet is owned by Premier FMCG, which last year declared a 23.4% increase in revenue to R17.9bn. Yet it refuses to pay the workers enough to survive,” the SWF said.
“We are vindicated by the judgment finding that there is no evidence that the strike is violent.”
