Farm fires 2 400 workers
2003-04-02 23:52
Tzaneen - Farmworker union Saapawu alleged on Wednesday that about 2 400 workers had been dismissed since Tuesday on the country's largest tomato farm, ZZ2 near Tzaneen in Limpopo.
Bheki Hlatswayo, national project co-ordinator of the SA Agricultural and Plantation Allied Workers' Union, said ZZ2 cited that it could not afford the new prescribed monthly minimum wages for farmworkers.
About 4 000 ZZ2 workers reportedly embarked on an unprotected strike last week.
Hlatswayo said the strike was caused by ZZ2's refusal to pay the new minimum wages.
ZZ2 workers' monthly cash wages ranged between R260 and R338, with payment-in-kind including groceries, meals and housing, Hlatswayo said.
No one from the farming enterprise, which is purportedly the biggest tomato producer in the Southern Hemisphere, was available to comment on Wednesday.
A representative from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration said they would only be able to release details about the matter by Thursday.
The new sectoral labour determination for South Africa's agriculture, prescribing minimum wages for farmworkers, came into effect on March 1.
The minimum wages differ from R650 to R800, depending on the area farmed in. Only 10% of the cash wages may be deducted for payment-in-kind.
- SAPA