De Doorns workers' minimum wages severely cut by new farm management
According to the West Cape News website, over 300 farm workers in De Doorns are protesting against deep wages cuts, after an exporting company took over management of the farm. Seasonal contract workers, comprising mainly locals, Sothos and Zimbabweans, downed tools and marched the five kilometres from De Doorns township to the Keurboschkloof grape farm to register their grievances.
The workers say their wages were scaled down from a minimum of R90 per day, with R105 and R127 being paid to skilled workers, down to an R64 per day across the board. Wage cuts, De Doorns farm workers say, were imposed after industry giant South African Fruit Exporters (SAFE) took over the management of the farm. The workers signed a five-year contract with previous owner Pierre Smit, who died in May. Smit set out fair wage and working condition guidelines. When SAFE took over the running of the farm, however, workers' minimum wages were severely cut.
After this week's protest, the workers' committee met with farm manager Henry van Zyl and they agreed that a daily wage of R100 would be paid across the board in the interim until a permanent solution was reached, the West Cape News reports.
Read the full article on http://westcapenews.com.
