Unpaid workers kicked out
Factory workers who claimed that they had not been paid were kicked out because the owner wanted to do renovations.
|||Cape Town - The workers who claim their boss left them penniless over the festive season have been dealt another blow.
They’ve have been kicked out of their factory because the owner wants to do renovations, leaving them with no place to earn cash.
Last week the Daily Voice brought you the story of a group of workers employed by Sharon’s Fashions.
They claim owner Sharon Marais had not paid them since November and they had no cash for Christmas.
The group even approached the SA Clothing and Textile Workers Union who vowed to assist them.
Marais does cutting and trim work for Reliance Clothing, who in turn produces garments for Truworths.
At the time, Marais blamed workers for not completing orders, meaning she couldn’t pay them.
The workers claimed they were owed a total of about R20 000.
Sharon vowed to pay the workers and on Friday sent them a message to arrive at the Imam Haron Road factory on Monday to complete an order.
But the workers were in for another surprise.
Edwina Barlow, 60 and Shameega Abrahams, 47 say they both worked until just after midday on Monday, but left when a Reliance Clothing truck arrived and removed the materials despite the order not being complete.
The women fear they will not be allowed back and say a source has told them Sharon has not paid rent.
But Sharon hit back saying her rent is paid up. She however admits she has still not paid her workers.
All Sharon would say is: “The owner is renovating. My rent is paid up... I’m going to sue the guts out of them for lying about me.”
But this is cold comfort to the workers who say they now have to go into the new year broke.
“She was nice when the union people were around, but sy het gou gechange,” says Edwina. (She was nice when the union people were around, but she quickly changed.)
“I am disappointed, but I will not let this go. I want my money.”
Daily Voice
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