A group of disgruntled Protea Marine hotel workers protested outside the building on Monday over wage increases and also demanded transport money when they work on Sundays and public holidays.
The workers, who are affiliated to the National Union of Leather and Allied Workers (Nulaw), said they would not return to work until their demands were met.
They are demanding, among other things, a wage increase of R750 a month and that the company provide a transport payment for public holidays and Sundays.
Nulaw representative Mninimzi July said the union had an agreement with management that in June each year the annual wage increase would be discussed.
He said that since June they had been engaging with management, with no mutual resolution agreed upon as yet.
“After the deadlock in meetings, on August 9 we went to the CCMA and there were no mutual agreements – only management offering R350 wage increases – which resulted in the commissioner [issuing] a certificate of unresolved resolution,” July said.
“After the CCMA meeting with no mutual agreement, on Friday last week we wrote a letter to the management to inform them about the legal strike as from Monday and they responded that they could only offer R400 on condition that we drop the protest,” July said.
The union was willing to negotiate, and dropped some of the demands to accommodate a wage increase of at least R600, he said.
July said a meeting between the workers and union was held on Saturday and the workers had decided to go on a strike until the management agreed to negotiate an increase that could benefit the employees.
One employee, who did not want to be named, said that at their monthly meeting they were told the hotel was doing well financially, yet the demanded wage increase had been refused.
“We insisted on embarking on a strike after several meetings between our union and company’s management with no resolution,” the employee said.
“Every month we are told the hotel had met the target, but they don’t want to increase our salaries.”
She said that last year the hotel was not doing so well financially but they managed to increase their salaries by R390.
“We need the increase, the economy at the moment is not doing well.
“I live with my unemployed mother and my three children and they all depend on the little income that I receive,” the employee said.
The workers are on permanent contacts and earning between R4,000 and R4,300 a month.
General manager Cassandra Gayapursat said the company respected the rights of workers to engage in strike action.
“The negotiations are under way and we remain committed to reaching a mutually agreeable resolution.”
Gayapursat said contingency plans had been put in place to ensure hotel operations were not affected.
“The comfort of our guests and associates remains our top priority at all times,” she said.