FOOD SECTOR MUST PROTECT WORKERS DURING COVID19 LOCK DOWN

FOOD MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO WORK DURING THE 21DAY LOCKDOWN FOLLOWING PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA’S ANNOUNCEMENT OF A STATE OF NATIONAL DISASTER DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC. OUR MEMBERS, WHO CONTINUE WITH FOOD PRODUCTION DURING THIS TIME, STILL DESERVE THE NECESSARY PROTECTION FROM THE SPREAD OF COVID-19. F.A.W.U. Calls On Employers To: o Respect and comply with the instruction of the President of the country; o Follow all basic requirements announced necessary and compliant as means to alleviate the spread of COVID-19 to keep the working environment hygienic and for employees to be safe; o Follow labour laws of the country in particular, Occupational and Safety Act no 85 of 1993 as mended and Basic Condition of Employment Act no 75 of 1997 as amended and their regulations among other predominant legislations in the business environment; o Invite specialists to educate all employees about the COVID19 including medical advice on the how workers should handle the pandemic even outside the workplace; o Employers with employees who are in lockdown/at home must pay the employees all their salaries and benefits; o Impose any unfair working conditions mentioned above, before, during and after the announcement of the President of the country. o Employers are expected to provide any form of assistance to workers such as company paid transportation, all safety gear etc. as announced by various Ministers’ detailing in their portfolios, o Provide paid medical attention and free tests to employees. FAWU Furthermore Calls On The South African Government To: • Take action on litigation against companies found to be violating the regulations/any law including the statement of the President of the country such as price gouging, selling counterfeit goods and any form of unfair trade to customers who most of them are the lowest paid workers and the poor. • Offer food parcels to the poorest South Africans and those who are living in the informal settlement to ensure access to food. • Review all existing legislations and/ sectorial determination such as farms workers and retail workers among others to better their salaries and conditions of employment. • Fast-track to allow informal traders (and the entire informal sectors) for them to access their segment to sell and live during the 21 days lockdown including an alternative special grant to assist them to survive. FAWU remains part of and supports all initiatives to curb the spread of corona virus and we will continue to protect the workers on the ground by demanding that they work in safe working conditions including support and work with formations who act on behalf of the poor people in South Africa who suffer during this pandemic. end