Less strict measures are in place as South Africa moves through Covid-19 second wave. (AFP)
The South African Breweries (SAB) has offered workers a 7% average wage increase, which will increase the average monthly pay for shift workers by R1 196 to R18 283‚ the company said on Tuesday.
This comes as members of the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) embarked on strike action at some SAB sites on Monday.
SAB human resources director Yokesh Maharaj said that after three months of intense negotiation‚ the company offered an average wage increase of 7% including performance-related pay in an attempt to avoid a strike.
The 7% increase for the average shift worker compares favourably with other sectors.
The average remuneration across all sectors is R4 773 and the average bargaining unit salary in the fast-moving consumer goods sector is R9 600‚ the company said.
Maharaj said that as a result‚ SAB believed that a 7% increase was highly competitive – it was above inflation and was off a high base.
"SAB is one of the highest paying employers in SA across all sectors‚ and one of the highest in the brewing industry worldwide‚" he said.
SAB had contingency plans in place to minimise any disruption to its service and the company had implemented a security plan to protect its people and its assets‚ it said. – I-Net Bridge