More than 1,100 workers at Festive Chicken, a division of Astral Foods, have been on strike since October 29, demanding better salaries, adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), and permanent positions. The workers, who earn between R4,500 and R5,000 a month, are seeking a salary increase to R13,500 a month. Festive Chicken employs just over 1,000 employees in a factory in Olifantsfontein and on farms on the West Rand and in Delmas.
The workers downed tools after the company allegedly failed to engage meaningfully with them over their demands. Instead, management attempted to stop the strike through letters and messages warning employees against protesting and threatening them with disciplinary action and dismissal. The threats prompted the employees to approach the labour court on October 30. The court gave them the green light to protest and indicted the company from taking action against striking workers.
The labour court order read, "It is declared that all of the employees are entitled to participate in the protected strike action which began on Thursday, 29 October 2026. The employer is interdicted and restrained from initiating disciplinary action against and/or dismissing any of its employees for participating in the aforementioned protected strike." Astral Foods submitted a counter application to the court, which was argued on November 6.
A legal representative from Lawyers for Human Rights, Sam Szoke-Burke, said they were awaiting a judgment on jurisdiction. Benjamin Mailula, who has worked at Festive Chicken for almost 23 years, said employees work 10-hour shifts processing and loading thousands of chickens for distribution. "We load more than 700,000 chickens into 90 trucks in one shift. The basic salary of R13,500 we are demanding is deserved because currently the earnings are the bare minimum and not equivalent to the amount of work or the hours we put in," he said.
Another employee, Rotshidzwa Mathomo, said a lack of adequate PPE was particularly concerning for workers assigned to cold-storage facilities. "The freezers are extremely cold, and without PPE you can’t even spend an hour inside. We now have to make our own plans to stay warm," she said. Mathomo added that some women, particularly those menstruating or recovering from operations, experienced additional discomfort when exposed to the cold.
Thandiwe Luthuli, who has worked for the company since 2019, alleged that employees injured on duty were told that the incidents were their fault. She recounted injuring her hand at work and said she was not paid for a month while she recovered at home. Mzokhona Luvuno, who said he had worked for Festive Chicken since 2019, said he remained classified as a casual worker despite years of service.
The workers' demands include better salaries, adequate PPE, and permanent positions. Key issues raised by the workers include the need for a salary increase to R13,500 a month, concerns over the lack of adequate PPE, and the desire for permanent positions.
Key points
- Over 1,100 Festive Chicken workers are on strike demanding better salaries and working conditions.
- The workers are seeking a salary increase to R13,500 a month.
- The strike is over the company's alleged failure to engage with workers and provide adequate PPE.
Reporting sources
- TimesLIVE · TimesLIVE
