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White River – The White River Saw Mill in Mpumalanga on Wednesday denied claims that it had offered employees a 78c wage increase.
The allegations were “irresponsible and untruthful”, company spokesperson Karlien Maritz said.
“The increase which the company has implemented and which is already in effect, is higher than that guided by the substantive agreement on wages and other conditions of employment for the saw milling chamber of the National Bargaining Council for the Wood and Paper Sector, which was agreed to for the 2016/2017 period and signed by parties on 02 August 2016,” she said.
She declined to mention the exact percentage.
About 500 workers have gone on strike after they were allegedly offered a 78c wage increase. Workers wanted a basic salary of R5000.
Maritz said the company was contributing to a provident fund for workers.
On Tuesday, one of the workers, Tebogo Monareng, 43, told News24 that they received between R2200 and R3000 a month and got no pension or medical aid.
They had been picketing at their employer’s offices since last Friday.
Monareng claimed those who had been with the company for 35 years got an empty oil drum, a two-plate stove and KFC streetwise 2 meal for a pension.
He alleged that on August 17, the company offered them a 78 cents wage increase.
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union’s Mpumalanga regional secretary John Sibiya said they would continue fighting for workers’ rights.
