SACTWU+strike+against+poverty+wages




 * 4 AUGUST 2005******


 * PRESS RELEASE**
 * IMMEDIATE**

=SACTWU STRIKE AGAINST POVERTY WAGES IN 6TH WEEK=

While the recent SAA, Pick 'n Pay and municipal workers strikes have received widespread attention, 250 Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers (SACTWU) members in Botshabelo are still on a legal wage strike after almost 6 weeks. The strike commenced on the 29th June this year, after negotiations between SACTWU and the Hsin Chu group (polypropylene textile manufacturers) broke down. These workers are among the lowest paid employees in the textile industry.

The minimum wage at the Hsin Chu group is R99.00 for a 45-hour work-week.

The workers are only demanding a R22.50 weekly wage increase, and the employers final offer is R15.75 wage increase per week. There are no other prescribed benefits.

Even if the workers’ demand of a R22.50 per week increase is met, it will only lift the minimum wage to R121.50 per week. This is typical of sweatshop wage rates paid in non-metro areas of the industry. Polypropolene is a highly profitable sector of the technical textile industry.

It is ridiculous that in this day and age textile workers should still earn such low wages.

The union is determined to continue the strike, until better conditions are won, and calls on the community to support its fight against sweat-shop employment conditions.

Two conciliation meetings held over the last two weeks to resolve the strike has failed.


 * Issued by**
 * SACTWU National Media Officer**
 * Rachel Visser**


 * For more information on the strike, contact SACTWU’s Central Regional Secretary, Nathaniel Molise at 076 304 2565, or our Botshabelo Branch Organiser, John Loke at 076 404 3121**