The recreational and hobbyist owner will be the man to suffer after some Eastern Cape trainers have indicated that they will have no option but to increase their keep costs following demands by Grooms for increased wages.
While some trainers were disappointed that one off-site trainer and a local satellite yard had broken ranks and agreed to demands at the expense of, and in advance of joint negotiations, the outcome has been accepted.
Tabnews reports that Grooms at the training centre at Fairview Racecourse have returned to work after downing tools on Monday and demanding their wages be increased to a minimum of R1000 a week.
Phumelela management representatives, Eastern Cape chief stipendiary steward Thulani Khanyile and Racing Association national director Peter Naidoo, representing the National Grooms’ Association, facilitated successful wage negotiations between trainers and grooms.
The grooms went back to work on Wednesday afternoon and Luciano Passerini, Phumelela’s Eastern Cape racing manager, said that “both trainers and grooms were delighted that the wage deadlock had been broken”.
