Sun International employees around South Africa will engage in nation-wide protest marches demanding better wages and working conditions, the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) said on Thursday.

"Protests and picketing will start on Friday in pursuance of their demands for better wages and working conditions," Saccawu said in a statement.

"Over the last few years we have seen South Africa becoming one of the top attractions for tourists, both for leisure, sporting events and conferences."

According to Saccawu the latest figures for Sun International showed an increase of 5.8 percent year-on-year and 21 percent month-on-month increase for July... "and they expect even better business for 2010 with the World Cup".

"Despite the economic downturn the company has shown remarkable expansion and growth in profits, yet workers have to turn to the streets to get the company to consider reasonable increases."

The demands from Sun International were that the company grant workers an increase of 13 percent effective from 1 July.

That the company ensure a ratio of 90 percent — 10 percent of full time employees to scheduled employees.

That tips should unconditionally be allocated to workers, and to end the exploitative practice of averaging of working hours.

There were demands of a night shift allowance of R7 per hour and to end labour broking and the use of interns from hotel schools to undercut working conditions.

Employees will picket at the following hotels: Wild Coast Sun in Port Edward, Boardwalk in Port Elizabeth, Flamingo in Kimberly, and at the Windmill in Bloemfontein.

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