Sugarcane |
The on-going strike
was called on 29 July, with the workers demanding a 21 per cent salary
increase and reinstatement of subsidies which have been withdrawn by the
management.
They are also demanding equal wages as those paid to other expatriate workers.
The strike was
peaceful until Wednesday morning when things turned ugly with some of
the workers embarking on a wave of violence that forced the management
to call in the police to restore order.
Speaking during a
Maputo press conference this Thursday, the Chairperson of the National
Union of Sugar Industry Workers (SINTIA), Alexandre Munguambe, said that
the strike could go on for some days.
"They (strikers)
burned 44.8 hectares of sugarcane. They claim it was not them. They
admit that they burned only a small part and the rest was because of the
police fire, "said Munguambe.
He went to say that
the strikers assaulted some of their colleagues, including a police
officer, and vandalized the company manager's car.
"We should not
destroy the company. We call on the workers not to destroy the company.
It is our understanding that in a demonstration we should never destroy
assets, "he urged.
On Wednesday there
were some reports claiming that four people were injured, including two
members of the riot police who were called in to stop violence, acts of
vandalism perpetrated by some workers and restore order.
However, Munguambe denied this information and said only two people were injured.
According union's
boss, the sugar mill is still paralyzed and this could go on because of
management intolerance as the problems that triggered the strike are yet
to be resolved.
He expressed his
surprise saying that three days prior to the strike the company's
management announced that the workers would lay down their tools.
"This led other
workers, who eventually didn't identify with the strike, to join it.
This was just laughable, for it is unusual for companies to take the
lead and announce workers strikes, "he said.
However, when the
workers went back to work, they found that the management had deducted
from their wages those days they didn't work.
This information
provoked the anger of the workers and triggered a new strike, which
turned violent and forced the management to call in the police.
As for the
complaints about discrepancies of wages between Mozambicans and
foreigners, he said the company must grant equal treatment to all
workers irrespective of their nationality.
"We recommend the company to make the right decision," he said.
Also, Maragra is yet to implement the minimum wages agreed by the Labour Consultative Commission (CCT).
While the minimum
salary set by the government for agricultural workers is 3,642 meticais
the company is still paying 3,360 meticais, the same happens with
factory workers who are being paid only 4,040 against 5,965 meticais
established by the law (at current exchange rates one US dollars is
equivalent to about 60 meticais).
As for the salary
increase, the workers are demanding 25 per cent, which the management
rejects. They are willing to settle at 16 per cent, but the company
states that is not prepared to go over 14 per cent, lamented Munguambe.
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