Sactwu workers march against wage agreement

Johannesburg - About 3 500 SA Clothing and Textile Workers' Union (Sactwu) workers in Isithebe, northern KwaZulu-Natal marched against non-compliance of a wage agreement, the union said on Wednesday.

"Many of the factories in this area are non-compliant and pay wages which are far below the legal rate and the minimum living level," Sactwu secretary general Andre Kriel said in a statement.

"Sactwu has made many concessions to assist employers to avoid factory closures and to help them pay legal wages."

The workers handed over a memorandum to employers, the clothing industry bargaining council and the department of labour during the march on Tuesday, he said.

"We demand justice and decent work in compliance with the national clothing industry wage agreement. This is the first warning shot for a bitter fight with non-compliant clothing employers this year," said Kriel.

If there was no solution in the next month the union would organise a nationwide strike, he said.