Striking Fedics workers protested outside Old Mutual in Pinelands today. Photo: Bernard Chiguvare
5 April 2016
Striking employees of catering company Fedics Food Services have vowed not to return to work until management agrees to their demands, including a minimum wage of R4,000 a month.
Workers who spoke to GroundUp said they earned about R3,000 a month.
“We will not go back to work until management agrees to our demands,” says Bulelwa Maneli, who was protesting outside Old Mutual head office in Pinelands today.
About 60 Fedics workers went on strike yesterday, marching from Old Mutual to Vincent Pallotti Hospital. Both are served by Fedics.
Among their demands were: an increase of 8% backdated to July 2015 and a minimum wage of R4,000 a month; a bonus of 50% of profits in June every year; contracts of three months and then permanent employment; and better financial disclosure by Fedics.
Some of the protesters outside Old Mutual were blowing vuvuzelas while others held placards saying: “we want 8 % increase”, “Fedics must fall” and “We want increase, no turning back”.
Ranofer Daniels, who works as a chef at the University of Stellenbosch, said transport home was an issue for him.
Daniels, who has been with the company since 2012, said it was dangerous for him to return home to Mitchells Plain when his shift ended after 9 at night.
Another protester who did not want to give her name said workers were not paid overtime at weekends. Instead they were told that the extra hours only made up for the weekdays when they had arrived late for work.
She said workers arrived late when the trains were late and it was not their fault.
“When we prepare for big functions, it will be a lot of work and go beyond our normal working hours, but we never get any extra payment,” she said.
Maneli said workers had met management yesterday but nothing had been settled.
Milford Mrwetyana, the Human Resources Manager, referred GroundUp to Fedics head office in Johannesburg. But an HR administrator in Johannesburg said he did not know about the Cape Town strike and could not comment.
In a letter dated 31 March 2016 addressed to the employees and the Independent Commercial Hospitality and Allied Workers Union, Mrwetyana warned that the company would employ other workers to provide Fedics services to clients during the strike, and the policy of “no work, no pay” would apply. He said the company “remains committed to the principles of collective bargaining and shall avail themselves at any reasonable time and place for a meeting to resolve the dispute”.