Seychellois workers employed at the IOT Cannery are likely to benefit from monthly salary increases ranging from R 100 to R 400 announced in the 2008 budget.
It appears that the 500 workers, who went on strike in 2005, were planning a repeat performance, unless the IOT management considers upping their meager earnings, which have been eroded almost to 60% from what it was a few years ago.
The weekly has learnt that an advisory to that effect has appeared on the staff notice-board. It appears that Lehman Brothers, which has purchased the 60% shares in the factory held by Heinz, are anxious to avoid worker turmoil, especially among the local personnel.
Though expatriate workers (Pilipino, Thai, Indian and Malagasy) earn less, their wages are paid in forex. Ultimately, they cost the factory more- about $ 30 a day when accommodation, food, foreign and local travel as well as other expenses are added up. Local workers are paid in rupees, which has depreciated in excess of 50% vis-à-vis the dollar or euro.
In September 2005, IOT workers walked across
It was argued that as a company operating in the SITZ, the IOT is exempted from existing labour regulations. That point was previously made by the then Economic minister Jacquelin Dugasse, to the anger of the workers.
After marches and sit-ins at the factory, President Michel, who had his re-election in mind- it was several months away, went on SBC TV and announced an ex-gratia payment of gratuities to all workers. Noting that Government held almost half of the shares, he also promises that in future, IOT workers would enjoy other benefits extended to other public workers.
Let us hope that this promise was not an empty pre-electoral ploy.