Clayville, Gauteng — The ongoing Festive Chicken workers strike in Clayville, Ekurhuleni, has brought operations to a halt as employees down tools to protest against low wages, grueling hours, and alleged unsafe working conditions. The industrial action highlights the growing financial strain on South African workers navigating high unemployment and rising living costs.
Workers are demanding a 13.5% salary adjustment (also cited in disputes as a R13,500 increase), permanent employment, medical aid, and improved workplace safety. According to worker spokesperson Joshua Hlungwani, employees are currently earning between R5,800 and R7,300 per month. With the basic food basket costing approximately R5,600, Hlungwani noted that many workers are struggling to cover transport and school expenses after paying for basic sustenance, effectively leaving them working just to afford food.
The grievances extend far beyond paychecks to severe health and safety concerns. Hlungwani highlighted that female workers, in particular, are suffering health effects from working in freezing cold rooms without adequate medical coverage. Furthermore, an employee who has been with the company since 2012 alleged that staff are not provided with the correct personal protective equipment (PPE). This worker called on the Department of Employment and Labor to inspect the facility, claiming that safety inspectors have never been seen on the premises. Additionally, workers reported that their allowances were recently scrapped under the guise of salary adjustments, leaving them further underpaid.
The physical toll of the job is another major point of contention. Employees report working seven days a week, from Monday to Sunday, with strict rules against changing shifts unless they work a continuous Sunday night shift through to Saturday. For these workers, putting in such long hours does not guarantee a decent living, pushing them to the financial edge.
The dispute has a long history of failed negotiations. Hlungwani explained that initial demands were submitted to management on December 15 of last year. After being ignored, a follow-up meeting took place on February 4, where the employer allegedly requested union membership forms. Upon realizing the large number of involved workers, the company reportedly changed its tone and refused to engage on the financial demands in good faith, allegedly attempting to divide the workforce.
The matter was referred to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), which issued a certificate allowing the workers to strike after conciliation failed. A subsequent CCMA meeting on the 19th of the month ended in a stalemate, with the employer’s lawyer stating they had no mandate from management to meet the workers’ needs.
The industrial action is not isolated to the Clayville plant. Hlungwani confirmed that the protest has spread to the West Rand, with workers at four other Festive farms demonstrating for the exact same demands. At the Clayville operation alone, approximately 400 out of 2,500 employees are participating in the strike.
In response, Festive Chicken (affiliated with Astral Foods) has strongly rejected the allegations, describing them as false and malicious. The company maintains that the strike is illegal because the protesting employees are affiliated with a community-based workplace forum rather than a recognized trade union. Festive Chicken asserts that it fully complies with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the National Minimum Wage Act, and the Employment Equity Act. Management emphasized that their recognized trade unions, which represent the majority of the workforce, have no outstanding disputes with the company and that established dispute resolution mechanisms remain in place.
Despite the company’s stance, the workers remain resolute. Hlungwani stated that the employees are prepared to continue their fight and will remain on strike until management comes to the negotiating table and adequately addresses their demands.
