23 August 2024
Mister Sweet factory workers protesting in Germiston on Friday. They have been on strike for higher wages since Monday. Photo: Kimberly Mutandiro
The strike by hundreds of Mister Sweet workers at their factory in Wadeville, Germiston, entered its fifth day on Friday. Workers initially demanded a minimum wage of R19,500 a month, but following negotiations that took place at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) on Thursday, the workers are now asking for R12,500 for the least paid workers, and R16,500 for workers occupying higher positions.
The company upheld its initial offer of 7%.
According to union representatives, most workers have been earning between R6,000 and R7,000 per month for the past 10 years.
Many of the striking workers are members of the Simunye Workers Forum. Mister Sweet, which was acquired by the giant Premier FMCG in 2021, makes sweets, including gums, jellies, marshmallows, and chocolates.
Following the CCMA negotiations on Thursday, the Forum said the employer was still not willing to meet their demands.
Since Monday, about 600 workers downed tools at the company’s Germiston factory.
On Friday, the Simunye Workers Forum sent representatives into the factory to continue negotiations with the company, failing which, the plan to take the strike to Premier’s headquarters on Monday.
“So far, we are not getting anywhere because the employer is not even coming close to what we want. So we have made a counter offer to say packers who are earning R6,000 should at least reach R12,500 and those earning more should reach R16,500. I don’t see why a company that is declaring billions in profit should fail to reach that,” said Jacob Potlaki, an organiser from the Simunye Workers Forum.
Workers who only recently joined the company are earning even more than old workers, said Potlaki.
GroundUp was told that one of the packing workers lost his left middle finger a few years ago after it got caught in a mixing machine. We were told that the company never compensated the worker and only paid him for the month he was recovering at home. The worker is among those who earn R7,000 per month and struggles to look after their family on this amount.
A 62-year-old worker, who has been with the company for 22 years, said she is dreading retirement. She said she recently discovered that her UIF money is only about R100,000 and is afraid that this will not be enough to sustain herself and her unemployed children.
“If they can increase our pay … maybe my UIF money will increase a little, which will enable me to retire in peace,” she said.
In its previous response, Premier spokesperson Siobhan O’Sullivan said the workers’ demands were “unrealistic” and that it would continue to engage until a resolution is reached.
On 22 August, Premier stated that in April 2024, the company reached an agreement with the United Chemical Industries Mining Electrical State Health and Aligned Workers Unions (UCIMESHAWU) to implement a 7% wage increase backdated to January 2024. According to the company, this offer was accepted by the majority, with only some employees rejecting the increase.
“Similarly, Premier has issued a lockout notice that will affect employees who participate in the strike. 286 Employees initially participated in the strike, with some having returned to work during the course of the week. Approximately 144 employees continue to work,” the statement read.
On Friday, Premier told GroundUp it was not yet in a position to comment as negotiations are ongoing.