San Francisco Labor Council Resolution to Support 5,000 Striking South African Clover Workers

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Whereas, 5,000 South Africa Clover workers who are members of the General Industrial Workers Union of South Africa and Food & Allied Workers Union have been on strike since November 22, 2021 against Clover dairy which is the largest dairy company in South Africa; and

Whereas, after a corporate take-over in 2019 by Milco and the Central Bottling Company of Israel (Milco/CBC), owned by the billionaires David & Dorit Wertheim, these workers have faced wage cuts of 20%, the layoff of over 1,000 workers, the introduction of a six-day work week with compulsory work on public holidays, the implementation of a 12-hour working day with no overtime, a reduction in the number of workers who offload dairy products, and the shutdown of several inland Clover factories that process milk for the people of South Africa; and

Whereas, these shutdowns of milk processing plants are destroying these rural communities; and Whereas, the company is engaged in selling off the equipment in an asset-stripping operation; and

Whereas, when Milco and the Central Bottling Company of Israel company (Milco/CBC) bought the Clover company, they promised the government and the unions that there would be no layoffs until October 2022; and

Whereas, the entire labor movement of South Africa including the South Africa Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) and Congress of South Africa Federation of Trade Unions (COSATU) are supporting this national strike; and

Whereas, Milco/CBC has hired private security companies that are using rubber bullets and militarized vehicles to intimidate and terrorize the workers; and

Whereas, the destruction of Clover dairies is a threat to the ability of the workers and people of South Africa to provide their own dairy products; and

Whereas, the unions have called for the South African government to revoke the agreement to buy the company by Milco/CBC and have also called for the workers to operate the company by democratic workers management; and

Whereas, there is a national boycott of Clover products and the unions have stated the company plans to import replacement product from Israel; and

Whereas, the Central Bottling Company (CBC) and the Mizrahi bank, also owned by the Wertheim family, have financially supported the construction of settlements on Palestinian land and CBC which has the franchise of Coca-Cola in Israel has established bottling operations on illegally seized Palestinian land and delivers product to the settlements and the CBC has also established dairies on illegally seized Palestinian land; and

Whereas, Amnesty International February 1, 2022 report entitled, “Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians: a cruel system of domination and a crime against humanity” has identified the dispossession and displacement of Palestinians from their homes since 1948 as a crucial pillar of Israel’s apartheid system; and

Whereas, the historic struggle against apartheid is now transformed into a struggle for self-determination and against union busting by a global multi-national,

Therefore be it Resolved, that the San Francisco Labor Council fully supports the Clover General Industrial Workers Union of South Africa and Food & Allied Workers Union (GIWUSA/FAWU) labor strike, will inform them and calls on the South African government to revoke the purchase of this company by Milco/CBC and support the demands of the workers for the operation of this company by workers self- management; and

Be it Finally Resolved the SFLC urges all affiliated bodies to also endorse this resolution and support the Clover workers in their critical battle.

Adopted by the San Francisco Labor Council on February 28, 2022.

Contact: GIWUSA President Marnetlwe Sebei mametlwesebei@gmail.com