M Mdladlana on visit to Sea Harvest

18 April 2006

The Minister of Labour Membathisi Mdladlana yesterday (Tuesday) expressed
dismay at the absence of Sea Harvest senior management during his visit to the
fish processing company in Saldanha Bay.

The Minister had gone to the company during his whirlwind Imbizo tour of the
Western Cape. His visit coincided with a strike by hundreds of employees,
mainly members of the Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Fawu) over the dismissal
of 15 employees and other conditions of service.

“Where is the top management of this place? It has never happened that the
senior management is not there when a Minister visits a company, especially
because they knew I was coming,” Minister Mdladlana said.

Only junior management was present at the meeting, saying that all the top
managers had gone to a ‘board meeting’.

Other complaints by Fawu members include claims that transformation was
happening too slowly and that the company was bent on protecting white
managers.

In his meeting with Fawu shop-stewards, the Minister said: “We do not want
to negotiate on behalf of workers as it’s not my duty. If workers are right in
saying management refuses to meet with them, my duty is to urge the two parties
to meet.”

Minister Mdladlana said the dispute at the company coincided with a battle
in the country around labour market flexibility.

“There is a view that our labour law is inflexible. That we must allow
employers the right to hire and fire at will. We can’t. We cannot erode the
rights of workers. My responsibility is to defend the workers and that is what
the Labour Relations Act is all about,” Minister Mdladlana said.

The Minister will round off his programme in Cape Town tomorrow (Wednesday)
by meeting training providers as well as the staff of the department.

Enquiries: Mokgadi Pela
Cell: 082 8082168

Issued by: Department of Labour
18 April 2006