Settlement reached between Robertson Winery and CSAAWU Trade Union

Friday, 25 November, 2016
Robertson Winery
Robertson Winery wishes to confirm that following a protracted strike of thirteen weeks, the Company and the representative trade union, CSAAWU, have concluded a three year substantive agreement. This agreement was reached on the 23rd November 2016.

The particular period of industrial action generated considerable media exposure given that it coincided with a general expose of terms and conditions applicable within the broader wine industry.

Summary of the Collective Agreement reached:

"The agreement reached is for a three year period and will see all employees receiving an increase of 8% or R400, whichever is the greater. This will bring the new Cost to Company to R4263.56 per month," said Anton Cilliers, the Robertson WInery Managing Director.

"The agreement caters for an increase in 2017 and 2018 of CPI plus 1.5% and 1% respectively" said Cilliers.

"We believe CSAAWU's on-going demand for an increase of 150% was implausible and impossible to consider" continued Cilliers. "However, we remain committed to the overall improvement of the lives of all our employees. For this reason our terms and conditions of employment continue to include access to free medical facilities for all employees, access to housing loans and subsidies where applicable as well as broader initiatives towards the economic empowerment of our community. As an example, not many parties are aware that Robertson Winery has been party to the purchase and transfer of the farm 'Constitution Road' into a Trust, 66% of which is held by 183 historically disadvantaged women who work on our producer farms" said Cilliers.

"Robertson Winery is satisfied with the outcome of the negotiations and looks forward to the resumption of normal operations on Monday 28th November 2016 following the period of industrial action. We will be engaging with CSAAWU towards the restoration and enhancement of our industrial relationship in the aftermath of the Labour Court finding on the 18th of November 2016 that the trade union had acted in contempt of the interdict granted against it in August."

Cilliers stated finally: "We wish to sincerely thank all our personnel, suppliers, service providers and members of the general public for their loyal and unwavering support during what has been a trying period."