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Johannesburg - Saccawu members employed by hotel and gaming group Sun International South Africa will engage in nationwide protest marches and picket actions starting on Friday, in pursuance of their demands for better wages and working conditions, the union said on Thursday.
The union, which is demanding a 13% increase, said over the last few years South Africa has become one of the "top attractions for tourists, both for leisure, sporting events and conferences".
"Even the latest figure show an increase of 5.8% year-on year and 21% month-on month increase for July and they expect even better business for 2010 with the World Cup coming to South Africa. Thus, despite the economic downturn the company have shown remarkable expansion and growth in profits, yet workers have to turn to the streets to get the company to consider reasonable increases," the union stated.
In the recent past Sun International was selected as one of the top 100 companies for 2007, it was ranked 12th in the Financial Mail top 100 companies and 1st in the Gaming and Leisure sector in South Africa. At the same time the group has expanded its operations in South Africa as well as various parts of Africa and Latin America, the union said.
"Since 2002 the Group's profits exploded from below R300m to well over R1 500m in 2008. Over the last financial year alone the group's profits increased from R636m to R1 069m. Average room occupancy for the Southern African region stood at 76% and increase from 74%, with occupancy rates in South Africa above 85%."
"At the same time top management positions still reflect unacceptable apartheid patterns with 86% of top management, 80% of senior management and 69% of middle management still white, the majority of them male."
"And unfortunately the BEE partners instead of challenging this skewed employment equity or support the workers in their plight for decent wages, employment contracts and conditions of work seem to simply benefit and line their pockets."
"In response to the failure by the company to resolve the dispute workers have decided to embark on the industrial action," Saccawu added.
- I-Net Bridge
