12 August 2016

BEHIND EVERY SMILE OF A WORKER IN THE SADC SUMMIT HOTEL ARE TEARS.

The Royal Swazi Hotel and Casino, a subsidiary of Sun International Limited, treat its workers in the most inhumane manner where the principles of equal pay for equal job done does not apply. Workers only force themselves to go to work each day because the alternative is starvation.

We are however please as the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) that workers have endorsed our organization as a leader of their struggles against Sun International which is their employer. Workers met on this day, the 12^th day of August 2016 to discuss burning issues that affect their lives and their ability and or inability to effectively service the hotel customers.

The workers had announced a meeting that was supposed to take place at the hotel sports ground but when they arrived at the venue they found uncompromising security guards who informed them that a meeting was not going to take place within the company premises. Ultimately workers held the meeting under a tree in the valley after having walked for a distance but even under that tree, the security personnel continued to patrol the area despite that it was outside the hotel premises.

The workers who are alleged to have been employed by InStaff, yet supervised by the Royal Swazi, made it clear that they find it hard; almost impossible to continue serving customers with a smile when in reality their hearts are bleeding with sorrow. These workers earn as little as E1400.00 per month yet some (unionized and permanently employed), doing the same job as them (InStaff) earn a minimum of E3900 per month. Of note is that most of these workers have been with the Sun International hotel for a period of over fifteen (15) unbroken years per individual and they represent above 70% of the total staff complement of the Hotel and Casino.

The workers further made a call to the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) to push their demands to management but also request all workers in Swaziland and outside the country to offer solidarity in their plight as victims of an unjust society.

The workers resolved to;

1. Recognize ATUSWA as the only vehicle that can deliver them from the yolk of poverty and hopelessness.
2. Recognize that all workers under the then leadership of SASH and SCHAWU must work with and under the leadership of ATUSWA to resolve the challenges affecting workers on a daily basis.
3. Work together with all stakeholders to ensure that the principle of equal pay for equal job done applies and that they enjoy all terms and conditions of employment as enjoyed by the permanent workers.
4. Ensure that they are made permanent employees of the Royal Swazi
5. Fight for the payment of all public holidays, sick leave, annual leave and maternity leave.
6. Fight unlawful deductions.
7. Fight and report vulgar language and sexual harassment against female workers who are forced to sleep with managers in order to get promoted or get wage increases.

We applaud these workers for standing for their rights and choosing unity over divisions. We reiterate that workers can only realize gains once they see the need to unite and fight their battles with capital side by side. We are encouraged that workers are able to identify that they do not join a union to be buried when they are dead but they join a union to improve their lives so that a willing worker can afford to buy even a life cover.

To the employer we say; we demand that the issues listed above are addressed with immediate effect, fore if you fail and or refuse, we will have no other alternative but to start picketing outside and inside our workstations to voice our displeasure in the manner we have been threated all these years.

Issued by;

Wander Mkhonza

Secretary General