STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH DISMISSED CSAAWU FARMWORKERS!

HISTORIC LABOUR COURT CASE, 2 JUNE 2014

On 2 June farmworkers will for the first time appear in the Labour Court. Dismissed farmworkers from the historic 2012/3 strikes will 18 months later have their case heard!

In 2013 farmworkers won an unprecedented 52% increase in their minimum wage to R105 p/day through their united struggle & courageous sacrifices. Farmworkers and dwellers undertook a historic rebellion. This was more than a labour dispute for higher wages – it was a spontaneous rural rebellion driven by workers and communities against intolerable working and living conditions, 20 years after so-called democracy.

Since the strike, farmworkers have had their livelihoods attacked. Workers report being dismissed, retrenched, evicted, unilateral changes in contracts and water and electricity cut offs.

On Steydler Farm in Robertson, 11 workers were dismissed on 8 January 2013. They were locked out during the strike and dismissed at a hearing that they were not present at. Since the unfair dismissal, the workers have been unemployed and struggling to survive. The farmer blacklisted them so they could not find alternative forms of income, one worker had to pull her child out of high school, another worries about her new born child. Workers are being buried under more and more debt. The workers and their families are also sitting with a threat of eviction over their heads if the farmer succeeds in dismissing them.

This is a historic Labour Court case dealing with dismissals from the 2012/3 strikes! It is the first case and will have implications for the cases of dozens of dismissed workers to appear in the Labour Court later this year. We need hundreds outside the Court to put pressure on the Judge. If farmworkers lose this case, it will set back workers confidence for years to come!

Don’t let the farmworkers stand in court alone!

Don’t let farmworkers face the aftermath of the strike alone!

Defend farmworkers right to strike!

STAND WITH FARMWORKERS!

2 JUNE 9AM, LABOUR COURT, CAPE TOWN

AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!

*For more information contact CSAAWU Assistant General Secretary Karel Swart on 0817297111

*Send messages of solidarity and support to csaawutav@gmail.com

*Make solidarity donations for legal costs to CSAAWU: Bank: Standard Bank; Account number: 072003596; Account name: CSAAWU; Branch name: Tyger Manor; Branch code: 050410