NOTHEMBA Funeral Services employees in Cape Town are set to embark on industrial action next week after they failed to reach an agreement with the company over wages.
Employees, who are members of the SA Parastatal & Tertiary Institutions Union in Khayelitsha, have been picketing outside the company's premises since September 26.
They are demanding a 5% wage increase while the company is offering 2%.
If the strike goes ahead, many funerals could be delayed in the area.
Employee Hamilton Magoda said they had been demanding a wage increase since last year but their employer has refused to reach a settlement.
"For the past two weeks we have been picketing daily outside the company's Spine Road premises in Khayelitsha."
Magoda, who is also a mortuary operator, said: "Our aim is to put pressure on the company so that it will agree to our demands. The staff have also been demanding bonuses since last year.
"The company has told us that there is no money and that some of us will be retrenched in the near future."
Magoda said they had given the company enough chance to resolve the dispute. "We will discuss the situation early next week and chart the way forward," he said.
Another employee, Sizwe Nyobole, confirmed that they were likely to embark on strike action next week.
Saptu and the company had had a meeting on Tuesday but failed to reach an agreement.
Nyobole said many funerals could be delayed if they went on strike next week.
Saptu provincial executive officer Lucas Thacwana confirmed that they were still negotiating with the company in a bid to avert the strike.
Thacwana said: "If the matter is still unresolved, we will take it to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration for a strike notice."
The company has told the union that it was unable to meet the workers' demands because of "company losses".
Thacwana said they had asked the company to provide the union with a financial statement and other related papers to check whether it was really in financial difficulties.
Nothemba Funeral Services CEO Sindi Gqamana confirmed that the workers were demanding a 5% wage increase while the company was offering 2%.
"Out of 30 staff members only 15 were involved in picketing," Gqamana said.
Gqamana also claimed that they had provided Saptu with the company's financial statement and other related information so that it could make an informed decision.
When they started with negotiations last year workers were demanding a 15% increase.
"We told them to reduce it because we also offer them other benefits. They then demanded 5%."
Funeral services under threat as workers strike
NOTHEMBA Funeral Services employees in Cape Town are set to embark on industrial action next week after they failed to reach an agreement with the company over wages.
Employees, who are members of the SA Parastatal & Tertiary Institutions Union in Khayelitsha, have been picketing outside the company's premises since September 26.
They are demanding a 5% wage increase while the company is offering 2%.
If the strike goes ahead, many funerals could be delayed in the area.
Employee Hamilton Magoda said they had been demanding a wage increase since last year but their employer has refused to reach a settlement.
"For the past two weeks we have been picketing daily outside the company's Spine Road premises in Khayelitsha."
Magoda, who is also a mortuary operator, said: "Our aim is to put pressure on the company so that it will agree to our demands. The staff have also been demanding bonuses since last year.
"The company has told us that there is no money and that some of us will be retrenched in the near future."
Magoda said they had given the company enough chance to resolve the dispute. "We will discuss the situation early next week and chart the way forward," he said.
Another employee, Sizwe Nyobole, confirmed that they were likely to embark on strike action next week.
Saptu and the company had had a meeting on Tuesday but failed to reach an agreement.
Nyobole said many funerals could be delayed if they went on strike next week.
Saptu provincial executive officer Lucas Thacwana confirmed that they were still negotiating with the company in a bid to avert the strike.
Thacwana said: "If the matter is still unresolved, we will take it to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration for a strike notice."
The company has told the union that it was unable to meet the workers' demands because of "company losses".
Thacwana said they had asked the company to provide the union with a financial statement and other related papers to check whether it was really in financial difficulties.
Nothemba Funeral Services CEO Sindi Gqamana confirmed that the workers were demanding a 5% wage increase while the company was offering 2%.
"Out of 30 staff members only 15 were involved in picketing," Gqamana said.
Gqamana also claimed that they had provided Saptu with the company's financial statement and other related information so that it could make an informed decision.
When they started with negotiations last year workers were demanding a 15% increase.
"We told them to reduce it because we also offer them other benefits. They then demanded 5%."
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos