Wages should be linked to commodity – Kwanalu

Kwanalu president Brian Aitken said the agricultural union had initiated an economic study to determine what wages the various commodities could afford to pay.

- Advertisement -

"Agriculture can’t have just one sectoral determination for the whole country. A 1 000ha maize operation employs 10 people while a sugarcane operation employs 350 people. Commodities with lower staff contingents might be able to afford R150/day, but those wages would blow a sugarcane farmer out the water. We have to bring this to government’s attention," Aitken said. 

The study has commenced and the union hoped to get public participation taking place around the country. "Once we have the facts and figures from credible independent bodies we can go to government," Aitken said.