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FIFI PETERS: Right this moment a number of employees stood [against] Clover. You’ll keep in mind that the dairy strike at Clover has been occurring for nearly three months now. Employees there who aren’t putting are preventing [against] what they consider are unfair retrenchments, wage cuts and the introduction of a six-day working week with necessary work on public holidays.
Simply to replace us on the scenario on the bottom at Clover we’re joined by Steven Velthuysen, group supervisor at Clover for authorized and secretarial. Steven, thanks a lot in your time. Have I understood the problems accurately which might be presently below competition, or are there different areas by which you aren’t presently seeing eye-to-eye along with your employees who’re on strike?
STEVEN VELTHUYSEN: Good night, Fifi. Thanks very a lot for the chance. You’re appropriate. The strike began off in November as a wage and retrenchment dispute – and people are the problems that that the union appears to be disputing. Nevertheless, we’ve seen that this dispute has now reached a stage the place they politicise the labour points by taking intention at our shareholders and disseminating lots of misinformation available in the market.
FIFI PETERS: Like what?
STEVEN VELTHUYSEN: Effectively, as an illustration one of many points that they always increase is [the claim] that we’re breaching merger circumstances that had been laid down by the Competitors Fee – which is completely unfaithful. We went by way of a radical course of with the Competitors Fee on the time of the merger, [to] which unions had been a celebration, so additionally they had their insights into the entire Competitors Fee problem. There the rationalisation and closure of factories was mentioned at size and, like I mentioned, the unions had been a part of that course of. This was in the end accredited by the Competitors Fee. They’re totally conscious of what the method entails and it has completely nothing to do with the present [Section] 189 course of that came about final yr after we determined to restructure our enterprise….
Then there have been additionally points in regards to the fee of thirteenth cheques, which was additionally a difficulty in dispute. We had been all the time going to pay the thirteenth cheques, however there have been clearly lots of deductions that wanted to be made out of them. As you understand, the no-work-no-pay coverage applies. So there have been sure days throughout November when the employees didn’t work that needed to be deducted from these bonus funds.
FIFI PETERS: You talked about that the employees had been additionally taking intention at your shareholders now, since 2019, [with] Clover being folded into the broader Milco Group. What are your shareholders, primarily international traders on this Milco consortium, saying in regards to the scenario presently?
STEVEN VELTHUYSEN: Simply to appropriate you, they don’t seem to be the one shareholders, they’re a majority shoulder; there may be additionally a BEE shareholder after which a couple of smaller shareholders forming a part of the corporate. It’s unlucky that in a wage and retrenchment dispute the shareholders at the moment are being pulled into this dispute, and it’s turning into an Israel/Palestinian politics problem that’s being raised by all of the teams.
It’s unlucky as a result of, as an organization, we went by way of a torrid time with Covid, which was a very difficult time for us, and we had been lucky with these shareholders who dedicated to assist us financially throughout these robust occasions.
If it weren’t for his or her assist we might have many extra retrenchments following these tough financial buying and selling circumstances.
FIFI PETERS: How a lot has this strike now occurring for 3 months value you, and what sort of disruptions have you ever seen within the enterprise on account of this?
STEVEN VELTHUYSEN: Look, industrial motion will all the time trigger a stage of disruption. We anticipated that. Having mentioned that, the strike commenced simply earlier than the festive season, and we needed to make a decided effort to make sure we protected our provide to the market, and that we didn’t let our clients down – which we’ve finished. Our groups have finished a exceptional job to make sure that we carry on supplying the market below very tough circumstances.
FIFI PETERS: Steven, I think about that everybody desires a decision to this. You do, the employees do. Simply how far are you, do you assume, from assembly both the employees or the employees assembly you on the center floor right here, and resolving this and placing this problem to mattress?
STEVEN VELTHUYSEN: Fifi, it was extensively reported that the federal government appointed a facilitator to help in searching for a decision to this strike. We met final week Sunday. It was a marathon six-hour session between ourselves and the facilitator and the unions. We needed to, once more, put our place on the desk to make sure that authorities is aware of precisely what processes had been adopted, and what’s on the desk. After these discussions, each events went again to their respective constituencies, and clearly we hope that the unions took a protracted, arduous have a look at what was on the desk.
These conferences are persevering with tomorrow and we hope that that the gives that now we have on the desk would put an finish to this entire strike. Solely time will inform.
FIFI PETERS: What’s your present provide on the desk?
STEVEN VELTHUYSEN: We’ve had a dispute relating to the wage will increase: we provided 4.5% for the primary yr, which is calculated from July 1, 2021. After which there are a couple of austerity measures the place we provide the staff an alternative choice to retrenchment, and never only a easy wage reduce, which is one thing that is essential that must be clarified.
We’ve provided as an alternative choice to retrenchments a discount in wage however, we might additionally, as a lump sum, pay them the distinction between what they presently earn versus the adjusted wage, so as to help with the adjustment to the brand new wage ranges.
It should be identified that the present wage ranges provided are nonetheless above the market-related salaries on the market available in the market. An extra level, that’s not being communicated accurately: we provided this various to greater than 1 800 workers, of whom 59% accepted it. It’s solely the 41% that rejected it that now dispute this various provide on the desk.
FIFI PETERS: Steven, I suppose we’ll should meet up with you guys then simply following the assembly that you’re having tomorrow to search out out the place issues stand. However thanks a lot in your time this night. Steven Velthuysen is the group supervisor of authorized and secretarial at Clover Group.
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