South Africa, Mister Sweet workers on strike for three weeks now.
Solidarity requested!
Issued by members of the Simunye Workers Forum [independent, grass roots union].
Please take a moment to extend your protest and solidarity with the Mister Sweet workers!
Petition link below.
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“Workers at Mister Sweet are on strike for a living wage. They are demanding R19 500.
For a long time, they have been struggling to survive on wages that condemn them to poverty. On 19 August 2024, they went on strike for a wage that will enable them to live a dignified life. Their strike is continuing and needs support.
Mister Sweet is owned by Premier FMCG, one of the biggest food companies in South Africa. They make billions of profit each year, and this is only increasing. Their profit is based on the exploitation and poverty of workers. They responded to the strike with a lockout, refusals to seriously negotiate, threats and applications for interdicts.”
Petition addressed to Premier CEO, Kobus Gertenbach, Premier FMCG
Stand in solidarity with striking Mister Sweet Workers
– We demand you add your name to support Mister Sweet worker’s fight for a living wage of R19500!
– We also demand you don’t buy Mister Sweet products!
– Join the struggle for a living wage by contributing to the strike fund for more details contact us here: 082 812 1934. All contributions are welcome.
We, the workers of Mister Sweet in Wadeville, are into the third week of our strike for a living wage of R19500. Many of us have been earning very low wages of R6000 or R7000 per month for 10 years now. Some of us who have been working for the company for 22 years are earning less than newer workers. Some operators are only paid as general workers or packers.
Mister Sweet belongs to Premier FMCG, which made over R3 billion in profits last year. That’s enough money to build 10 000 houses for workers and their families. Premier itself is owned by big investment companies including Brait, Titan Premier Investments, Allan Gray and even the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). All Premier’s profits go to the shareholders of these investment companies. It should come to us, the workers and our communities who create those profits. The PIC, which is owned by the government, is investing workers’ pension money to make more money for the bosses.
Why is this important?
Mister Sweet is punishing us for fighting for a living wage. It has locked us out of the factory and is demanding that we accept the three year wage deal it made with two minority sweetheart unions. The company also started reducing the 7% wage offer from the second day of the strike and will keep on reducing it by 0,5% for every week the strike continues until we are faced with a zero percent increase. Instead of negotiating in good faith, the company seeks to further divide workers by training casuals to replace striking workers. Mister Sweet is also making plans to shift production to Manhattan.
On 4 September 2024 Premier FMCG applied for an interdict against the strike. The interdict application will be heard on 10 September 2024.
We …. declare that we are boycotting Mister Sweet products because of the ongoing of workers at Mister Sweet.
The lowest paid workers at Mr Sweet are paid in the region of R6000 per month. The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity’s Household Affordability Index for August 2024 puts the cost of a basic food basket a month at R5227,14.
With just R6000, workers must struggle to pay for food, transport, healthcare, education, and everything else. The wages that the Mister Sweet bosses pay the workers condemn them to poverty and a struggle to meet their needs.
Workers are demanding R19 500 so that they and their children can lead a dignified life.
When workers wanted to negotiate for a living wage, Mister Sweet didn’t listen. Workers are on strike, and are forcing Mister Sweet to listen. We need to support this through a boycott. It is only united working class action that will pressure Mister Sweet to pay workers a living wage.
We ask you to to support our struggle for a living wage, lets unite in the bigger fight to defeat this capitalist system that brings only misery and suffering for the working class. “
Issued by Simunye Workers Forum members
Petition link: https://awethu.amandla.mobi/petitions/stand-in-solidarity-with-striking-mister-sweet-workers?share=38a98dda-3c0d-46c8-ae14-c9b517dfffe3
