Employment conditions commission

Inputs received from Workers Against Regression (W.A.R) trade union

The WAR in their submission requested the following to be included in the sectoral determination:

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  A minimum wage of R200 a day and that no farm worker should earn less than R4000 per month
  
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  That working hours should be less than 45 hours per week
  
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  That there should be 3 weeks paid annual leave
  
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  That the CCMA should chair all disciplinary hearings where alleged offences are dismissible and that workers should remain in employment until a final termination is made by the CCMA.
  
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  That shop steward be entitled to be represented by the trade union and that a reasonable hearing date applies.
  
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  A provident fund to be established where the employer contributes 12% and the employee 5%.
  
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  A bonus of 1 paid week per year
  
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  Electricity and water to be guaranteed
  
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  A productivity agreement to enable workers to share the profits
  

15. Inputs received from AL JAMA-AH

AL JAMA-AH a political party indicated the following in their written submission:

That the Director General of the Department of Labour should consider the socio-economic report when advising the Minister on the level of the minimum wage. They argued that this is due to the fact that the BCEA requires that the Department should set a minimum wage that provide a minimum acceptable standard of living for farm workers; domestic workers; and security guards working on farms. In their submission they further argued that the minimum wage should be able to eradicate poverty and reduce inequalities. They alleged that the Minister did not consider the requirements of the BCEA in 2012 prior to publishing the amendments as they consider the current minimum wage as that which supports the farmers to become richer. They further argued that the Department in essence replaced the dop system with slave wages and they regard that as an insult to farm workers.

16. Inputs by workers in De Doorns

Workers in De Doorns alleged that the current farm worker strike came as a result of government’s failure to listen to farm workers’ demands three years ago. They indicated that if government implemented the resolutions of the summit held in Cape Town in 2010, the strike would not have happened. Workers further indicated that minimum wages failed workers considering the fact that prices of petrol, electricity, transport, food have been increased on several occasions and minimum wages gets increased once in a period of twelve months. Workers further indicated that their call for R150 per day is informed by the fact that on the current R69, farmers still deduct for electricity, UIF, accommodation and at the end of the day they find themselves earning R30 per day. In addition workers indicated that they demand R150 which they argued that it is still low but would at least contribute to their affordability to sustain their families. An example was made where a farm workers who earns R1500 per month has to pay 10% for accommodation, 10% for food and has to pay almost R1000 on transport for himself to get to work and the kids to go to school. This farm worker will be left with R50 after all the expenditures and statutory deductions and still has to buy food, pay electricity, buy clothing, and have money to take kids to the doctor.

They further argued that the current minimum wage suggest that the farm workers’ household should survive on R12 per day and therefore this is impossible considering the price of bread currently.

Prior to the commencement of the public hearing, COSATU had through the media announced that farm worker strike is suspended in the other parts of the Western Cape where workers have agreed to accept R105 as the daily rate. Regarding the R105 per day, workers indicated that they won’t accept R105 but could consider at least R120 per day.
In addition, workers demanded that the compulsory provident fund should be establish for the farm worker sector which will ensure that at the termination of employment, farm workers receive a lump sum which they will utilize to build houses for their families and educate their kids.

17. Inputs by workers in Robertson

In Robertson, workers who attended the hearing raised their support for R150 per day. Again it was based on the challenges which they faced with posed by the cost of living. Workers indicated that farmers will afford to pay R150 because they work in the farms and are aware of their production and the income which the farmer generates.

18. Inputs by workers in Oudshoorn

In Oudshoorn, workers also demanded that the R150 should be promulgated in the sectoral determination. Workers further indicated that farmers currently are paying R69 per day which is legislated and it will be the same situation with the R150 per day. In addition they also indicated that the R150 will also be deducted by the farmer for electricity and other deductions which will end up not being R150.In addition, workers raised other issues relating to the treatment they receive from farmers.

19. Inputs by workers in Vredendal

In Vredendal, workers called for the implementation of the R150 in the sectoral determination. Workers indicated that they cannot survive on the current level of the wages paid to them. An example was given of the worker who got paid R300 on Friday and the farmer deducted R250 from the worker’s wage and the worker only got R40 from the bank. Workers indicated that on the current level of the wage, they cannot afford to even pay school fees for their kids and also can hardly buy food because they cannot afford.

In relation to the possibility of mechanization, workers indicated that farmers had already mechanized some of the functions and the kind of the work which they perform, cannot be mechanized and therefore they regard the mechanization as an empty threat to government. Furthermore, workers called on government to consider their situation as farmers are deliberately exploiting them and with their exports, they know that farmers are making huge profits at their expense.

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