FAWU CALLS FOR BETTER PROTECTION OF NURSES AND FOOD WORKERS

The Food and Allied Workers' Union fully supports the Young Nurses Indaba Trade Union's(YNITU) call for better protection for the many nurses, doctors and other health care workers at the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic whom have not even been addressed in President Cyril Ramaphosa's speech last night. 

We are of the view that our nurses and other health care workers face increasingly stressful situations as they continue to perform their job amidst the onslaught of the corona virus pandemic. These nurses should not be overlooked as they are vulnerable and at the frontline of battling COVID-19 in medical facilities. Therefore, they must be protected, equipped and supported during these unprecedented times and economic hardships. We therefore agree that these nurses should at least enjoy an income tax break and danger allowance as means of motivation in this fight against a raging pandemic. In addition, FAWU demands the same for food sector workers across the value chain who are turning up for work every day and who face the risk of exposure to the coronavirus as they have to interact with multiple individuals in their factories or with customers in retailer stores all over South Africa. They should be protected as they are on the frontline working hard to ensure ordinary citizens have access to food every day.

It is a reality that our health care workers and food workers are from poorer communities and deserve some form of financial relief. Personal protective equipment should be mandatory for all workers on the frontline and we demand to see this in every grocery store and other food manufacturing plants. We have witnessed inreased incidents of supermarkets closing down as a result of staff testing positive for COVID-19. We thus reiterate our call to retailers to adhere to all precautionary measures during this coronavirus pandemic. We want to continue to encourage employers to pay a special bonus or appreciation bonus to frontline workers and we wish to thank those employers who have committed to such benefit. 

 For more information call FAWU General Secretary Mngomezulu Mayoyo on 082 440 4039 or FAWU National President Atwell Nazo on 079 892 4896.