Farm strikes
Farmworkers get over 7% pay hike
The national minimum wage for farmworkers is set to increase.
The CCMA has stepped in to assist the farmworker’s union resolve a drawn out labour dispute.
The CCMA is facilitating the negotiations between the union and employers.
Bawusa has vowed its farmworkers’ strike will intensify across the Boland as harvest season begins.
Bawusa says around 4,000 workers are expected to go on strike.
The farmworkers’ union says the relationship between itself and farmers is improving.
The union says very few farmers stick to the R105 per day agreement.
The Labour Department has been visiting farms in the Western Cape to check their labour compliance.
Between November and January there were three separate strikes marred by violence.
FAWU has threatened to strike if farm owners continue to use labour brokers to employer workers.
The Western Cape Agriculture Dept. has drawn up 13 solutions to challenges facing the troubled sector.
The Farmworkers' Rights Coalition said farmers are taking revenge by retrenching staff.
Nosey Pieterse's organisation received funding from the government but he says it was all above board.
Agri-Wes Cape believes many farmers will struggle to pay their workers the new minimum daily wage.
Bawusa will be in De Doorns and Grabouw this morning to discuss the R105 wage offer from government.
At least 2,000 farmworkers were retrenched days after the Labour minister announced a new minimum wage.
FF Plus leader Pieter Mulder believes the new minimum wage for farmworkers will lead to job losses.
Ongoing violent strikes in a number of sectors were to blame for the loss of 68,000 jobs.
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant announced that the new basic minimum wage will be R105 per day.