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Johannesburg - Members of the Food and Allied Workers' Union (Fawu) on Monday resolved to intensify the strike at SAB Soft Drinks division trading as ABI Coke.
This followed failure to reach agreement during the negotiations facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration on December 24.
Fawu said in a statement that the company was "not prepared to concede to the union's demand for 9.5% wage increment and to place a moratorium on the use of labour brokers through a programme of owner-driver scheme."
"The union could not accept a company offer of changing shift patterns to fall within weekdays and pay overtime on Saturday on condition that we agree to their 7.8% wage offer and accept the use of labour brokers," it said.
The union and shop stewards are consulting workers at SAB's beer division and other subsidiaries such as Valpre Water and Appletiser to be ready to wage a sympathy strike, Fawu added. This will result in an additional 4 500 workers joining the 3 500 striking workers, totalling 8 000 workers on a full-blown strike, it added.
"Further, workers in other Coca Cola bottling companies are being consulted with a view to embarking on solidarity strike actions in support to their ABI Coke comrades on strike.
"A positive response by our members in these companies will result additional 3 500 workers joining the strike action. A letter of notice to employers will be sent once the support is secured from our members," Fawu said.
"Finally, Fawu has informed and requested a solidarity support from the international federation on food unions, the IUF. If this support was to be mobilised quickly, workers at various Coca Cola bottling companies across the world will be waging protest actions in support to (sic) ABI Coke workers," it said.
- I-Net Bridge