The Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) has voiced fears of ”Zimbabwe-style land invasions” should an attempt by a black economic empowerment consortium to buy stakes in the wine industry succeed.
The union reiterated its opposition to plans of a group of 14 individuals, together with the South African Wine Industry Trust (Sawit), to acquire a multimillion-rand majority stake up for grabs in the KWV restructuring deal.
”This attempt to steal the land and the wealth from workers by this new elite is rejected in the strongest terms,” it said in a statement on Tuesday.
The union claimed the development will rob workers of the opportunity to benefit as the primary stakeholders in the industry.
Fawu, which is affiliated to the Congress of South African Trade Unions, said it is concerned not only about the KWV deal, but about the future direction of black economic empowerment, where workers and communities should be key beneficiaries ahead of a new black elite.
Current negotiations on the restructuring of KWV, one of the country’s biggest wine and brandy companies, are deadlocked on what percentage of the shares be given to the 14 individuals and what to the workers, as represented by the Employees Empowerment Trust.
Besides filing a Section 77 notice of strike action with the National Economic Development and Labour Council, Fawu said on Tuesday it has also approached the master of the Cape High Court to investigate any allegations of improper conduct on the side of KWV management.
”If management have indeed abused their position as trustees of this trust [the Employees Empowerment Trust], where they sit in the majority, Fawu will pursue all possible routes to secure the workers’ interest,” it said.
Fawu said it is also considering referring the master of the court to actions of Sawit trustees who the union accuses of having acted beyond designated areas of expenditure for the past 12 months.
”We believe that the KWV and their ally, the South African Wine Industry Trust, are deliberately squandering the opportunity to create a stable and prosperous industry that properly recognises the 80 years of hard work [of workers],” said the union.
”A deal that properly recognises the role played by workers in creating the luxury of the wine industry will take us on the road to avoiding a Zimbabwe-style situation in the wine industry,” it said. — Sapa