Covid-19 Effect On Food Sector Members

MEDIA STATEMENT 28 MARCH 2020\ F.A.W.U. CallS On Food Sector Employers To Comply With Health And Safety & Stop Unfair Labour Practices During COVID-19 Pandemic We, the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) note and welcome the recent announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 23 March 2020 with regards to the 21-day lockdown from 26 March -16 April 2020 following the rapid spread of the COVID- 19 pandemic. FAWU further supports all advisory expressed by the relevant authorities for purpose of curbing the spread of the corona virus pandemic. The fact that workers in the food sectors will be at work to provide the nation with access to food, goes to show exactly how important their efforts are in the contribution towards our economy and the lives of the people of South Africa. In relation to this, we note the fact that our sector has since been misconstrued as an essential service. We wish to register that we will oppose this notion/expression as essential in its origin and in this context, more so that all sectors of our economy are important but are not all categorized as essential service including by Labour laws of our country. On the other hand, we invite the employers and government to note the efforts of workers in the food sectors which include among others distribution and retail, agriculture/forestry/fishing, hospitality, fast food and restaurant and most of the entire food value chain that it is a serious contradiction that they form part of the important main stream of our economy yet they receive such low salaries that most are deemed below living standard. We are receiving many calls from members complaining that some employers are taking initiatives to dismiss, introduce short hours, forced leave and unpaid leave, cutting salaries and benefits among others and some are even demanding workers to work without being paid during the 21- day lock down. In the process of protecting the working conditions in workplaces, we realize another shocking disregard of the measures designed for employees who are working in health and safety. The employers are expected to follow strict hygienic requirements rather than behave to the opposite to their employees to be safe. We also note with concern that workers in the food sector and others in the public sector who are working hard to save the nation, are the ones who are unfairly treated. This further shows the explicit brutal capitalist greed system that focuses on maximizing profit at the expense of labour and has no morals in the process who suffers including a risk to pay the ultimate price. We appreciate those employers who respect the instruction of the president. FAWU will continue to be visible to ascertain that members are not unfairly treated during the 21- day lock down period including amid corona virus and beyond. There are people in the country who are food street vendors and have since not been given clear terms in terms of their operation. It must be noted that people selling food on the street provide easy and affordable access to most lowly-paid South Africans as oppose to the big markets in operation . Access to food should be given to all levels of markets. This does not only pose a threat to food security, but it poses an unfair treatment to people whose business are not registered as it limits them to access relief from the government. Flowing from FAWU campaigning on illicit trading, we invite workers and all people in our country to be careful of counterfeit goods of which some of them have been made to believe that they are a remedy to curb the spread or cure of corona virus. It is important that the government address Illicit trading and cash outflows which would have mitigated the budget deficit for an advancement on the expansionary approach from the fiscal policy to fund various sectors of our economy such health, DTI, Employment and Labour department for workers among other departments. We note the announcement of the reduction of the interest rate of which ordinarily would have expected an increase in aggregate consumption spending. It should be noted that consumer behavioral patterns under the circumstances are not going to contribute positive inflation trends as the magnitude of such a reduction is less if ever found to be making a difference to the workers, particularly the lowest paid. We believe that there should be a 5% interest rate reduction to handle the major current crisis of COVID-19 as there is a major shift in the total spending. F.A.W.U. Calls On Employers To: - Respect and comply with the instruction of the President of the country; -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; -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 legislation in the business environment; -Invite specialists to educate all employees about the COVID-19 including medical advice on the how workers should handle the pandemic even outside the workplace; -Employers with employees who are in lockdown/at home must pay the employees all their salaries and benefits; -Impose any unfair working conditions mentioned above, before, during and after the announcement of the President of the countr; -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; -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 legislation and/ sectoral 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 endeavour to 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. For more information, contact the writer. Mayoyo Mngomezulu FAWU General Secretary at 082 440 4039, mngomezulu.mayoyo@fawu.org.za

F.A.W.U.National Leadership 2020

NATIONAL OFFICE BEARERS POST NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL National President Attwell Nazo 1st Deputy President: Linda Ngqokoma 2nd Deputy President Vacant National Treasurer: Mark Oliver General Secretary: Mngomezulu Mayoyo Deputy General Secretary: Vacant

FAWU Marches to South Gauteng High Court In Support of Neil Aggett's In...

FAWU Elected Provincial Office Bearers 2020

PROVINCIAL OFFICE BEARERS ELECTED IN 2020

Eastern Cape Province

Jongikhaya Tsewu-                      Chair person

Siyabonga Rawana-                     1^st Deputy Chair person

Ncekelela Sivulo-                       2^nd Deputy Chair person

Pumeza Nxwashula-                    Treasurer

 Zolile Langa-                             Provincial Secretary

                                                                                                                                                                       

Free State/ Northern Cape Province

Raymond Dithato –                     Chair person

Hope Mzizi –                              1^st Deputy Chair person

Papi Mahamotse –                      2nd Deputy Chair person

Elliot Tlali –                              Treasurer

Vuyane Mbangwa -                    Secretary

Gauteng Province

Kenneth Seema-                        Chair person

Anna Pholoana-                         1^st Deputy Chair person

Majapi Tsotetsi-                        2^nd Deputy Chair person

Peter Mnguni                            Treasurer

Vuka Chonco                             Provincial Secretary

Kwa-Zulu Natal Province

Muzi Cele-                                Chair person

Wiseman Sibonilo Monyazi-        1^st Deputy Chair person

Wendy Cele-                             2^nd Deputy Chair person

Bonnie Mthalane-                      Treasurer

Siphiwe Dlomo–                         Provincial Secretary

Limpopo Province

Mongatose Mashilo-                    Chair person

Thapelo Mlauzi -                        1^st Deputy chair person

Stanley Ragamushu-                   2^nd Deputy chair person

Mopabane Mashilone                  Treasurer

Nelson Semenya                        Provincial Secretary

Mpumalanga Province

Patrick Maseko- Chair person

Nico Ndima- 1^st Deputy Chair person

Marcus Mokasi- 2^nd Deputy Chair person

Busisiwe Zitha- Treasurer

Ernest Mmako-  Provincial Secretary

North-West Province

Simon Gumede      -Provincial Chairperson

Patrick Bantseke      -1st Deputy Chairperson

Thabo Marwele       -2nd Deputy Chairperson

Ntombizodwa Fukwenu   -Provincial Treasurer

Stephen Poonyane   -Provincial Secretary

Western Cape Province

Trevor Benjamin- Provincial Chair person

Sharon Keselo- 1^st Deputy Chair person

Nicholas Witbooi- 2^nd Deputy Chair person

Nathan Sampson- Treasurer

Meshack Pamore- Provincial Secretary

                                           

FAWU QUESTIONS SAFETY MEASURES AT BORDERS , PORTS OF ENTRY

MEDIA STATEMENT: 6 March 2020

FAWU QUESTIONS SA SAFETY MEASURES AT BORDERS & PORTS OF ENTRY

The Food & Allied Workers Union (FAWU) notes with extreme concern the developments as announcement by Minister of Health, Dr Zweli Mkhize, that South Africa's first Corona virus case has been confirmed in Kwa-Zulu Natal.

We have also taken note of the minister’s assurances publicly that the government is managing the process and handling the matter accordingly with measures in place to deal with and outbreak within the country's borders.

This has led us to have more questions than answers at this moment. The minister took the country into confidence and said the department was adequately prepared, and that measures were in place to test and detect the symptoms at the port of entries. If that is in fact the case, how did a person who returned from Italy manage to pass undetected? The minister confirmed that the affected individual passed undetected on arrival at the airport and we are left to wonder how many other affected persons have passed through our ports undetected as we speak.

This effectively means that our measures are inadequate and ineffective. This means our country is in more danger than the Minister and the department wants us to believe and is prepared to divulge. If a person could enter the country through the airport where there are stringent protocols and screenings in place and still manage to pass undetected, what about our borders, where undocumented farmworkers in the area of Limpopo and Mpumalanga still frequently go in and out the country unchecked?

In South Africa, people still enter illegally and without detection at our various border posts so how can we be confident that our controls are adequate as alluded to by the Minister and that  no one who has the virus has entered the country through there. We have to ask ourselves how many other such cases could exist in the country that we are unaware of.

Government and the minister have to come clean to the public and admit that we, as a country, are not adequately prepared for this epidemic that has potential to bring our country to its knees. 

The disease is real and the country's approach towards this disease leaves most citizens sceptical, particularly in terms of the efficacy of safety measures at SA borders and other ports of entries. These developments causes citizens to panic and righteously so.

FAWU calls upon the government, in particular the Minister, to stop being rhetorical and embark on educating its health professionals and the nation on what to do to keep safe. We should give people all the necessary information and preventative measures to adequately prepare and keep safe. Nurses and all health staff should be trained adequately to confront this disaster. The borders of SA demand urgent attention and speed in terms of scanning every person in and out the country. If not, this Corona Virus will damage our already frail economy and become another HIV pandemic saga in SA.

For more information, please call FAWU Deputy General Secretary, Mngomezulu Mayoyo on 082 440 4039. Released by FAWU media liaison officer, Dominique Martin 082 498 5631

FAWU FINDS PILCHARD RECALL A THREAT TO JOB SECURITY

Media Statement: 28 February 2020

FAWU FINDS PILCHARDS RECALL A POTENTIAL THREAT TO JOB SECURITY

The Food and Allied Workers’ Union ( F.A.W.U.) is  disturbed over the recall of several brands  and batches of pilchards that were sold to customers over the last few months, especially since we represent members at fish processors; Lucky Star Operations, West Point Processors, Oranje Vis, Amawandle Pelagic and the issue could have a detrimental effect on the sales of pilchards. At the same time, we commend West Point Processors for acting swiftly as soon as the defect came to light.

While we understand that West Point Processors is doing everything they can in terms of reimbursing suspected batches and reassuring customers of the safety of the product, we demand to know what has led to this canning deficiency so that a similar situation can be prevented in future.

FAWU hopes that our members will not ultimately suffer under the burden of financial losses due this sudden recall as a long- term blanket ban on the product could affect the job security of our members negatively.

We would like to encourage fish processors to sort the issue out with urgency as millions of poor South Africans rely on pilchards as a healthy and affordable source of nutrition.

For more information please call the Deputy General Secretary, Mngomezulu Mayoyo on 082 440 4039 or the Fishing Sector Co-ordinator Zolani Mbanjwa on 082 494 7940.

Released by FAWU media liaison officer , Dominique Martin 082 498 5631.

FAWU To March In Support of Neil Aggett Inquest

Media Statement : 4 February, 2020

F.A.W.U. MARCHES IN SUPPORT OF NEIL AGGETT INQUEST

Hundreds of members of the Food and Allied Workers Union (F.A.W.U.) will stage a march on Wednesday, 5 February 2020 outside the South Gauteng High Court in support of the inquest into the tragic death of Dr. Neil Aggett underway at the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.  The march will take place on the exact day 38 years ago, that the union leader and activist was found dead in his cell.

FAWU, along with other activists have long supported the campaign demanding that the inquest be re-opened and now that it finally has, we demand that those responsible for his untimely and devastating death must be brought to book. Many questions needs to be answered around the suspect circumstances of his death and it is  time to dig deep and get to the truth so that the history books can be re-written on the true reasons and details surrounding the death of Dr. Neil Aggett .

FAWU and SAFTU Leaders will hand over a memorandum to the Johannesburg Central Police Station and thereafter proceed to the South Gauteng High Court where the re-opened inquest is currently being heard.

Marchers will start at Cnr. Of Kruis & Helen Joseph Streets at 10pm, while the handover of the memorandum will take place at 11h30 and then the activities will culminate in a demonstration outside the Court at about 12h30.

Enquiries: Vuka Chonco, Gauteng Provincial Secretary on 082 499 5854. Alternatively call Dominique Martin on 082 498 5631