The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) supports its affiliate, the General Industries Workers Union of South Africa (GIWUSA), in its planned industrial action at Ribas Manufactures CC, on 28 June 2024. The strike comes as a result of a wage dispute, whereby the bosses refuse a demand for a R4 per hour increase.
RIBAS Manufacturing is offering a R1.75 per hour increase against the workers’ demand of R4.00. Since workers at the company earn a meagre national minimum wage of R27,58 per hour, the company’s offer will only increase the hourly rate to R29,30. This will translate into R5 845.35 wage per month and will still be insufficient to cover household basic necessities such as household food groceries, hygienic products, electricity and transport. The combined value of the food grocery, hygienic products, 350kWh of electricity and transport to work is R8 940.85 according to the Household Affordability Index (HDI).
The cumulative increase in electricity tariffs for the past 17 years, reaching about 700%, has made electricity expensive. In some metropolitan cities, 1 KWh of electricity has risen to R3.50. Interest rates rose above the pre-pandemic levels and two-fold from the historic lows of the pandemic levels to new highs at 11,75% at the prime lending rate. Commuter transport costs have also risen as a result of the fuel increases.
The aggregation of all these consumer items means the continuous rise in any of these consumer items exacerbates the rising cost of living, leaving workers in a financially overstretched position, struggling to afford their basic needs.
In addition to the wage demand, workers want adjustments to the working hours. They demand a 10-minute tea break. Currently, workers at the company work 10 hours per day and have a 30-minute lunch break.
SAFTU joins GIWUSA in calling upon RIBAS Manufacturing to immediately meet the demands for:
• a R4 per hour wage increase
• a 10-minute tea break without interfering with the length of the lunch break
