Grooms strike? Press statement

No one in their right minds can pretend that the income disparities in this country and the gap between rich and poor is shocking. No one can pretend that the public sector, particularly education and health are in a very serious crisis. It is the responsibility of all of us to think of how we can overcome these problems. I am so tired of what often amounts to racist stereotypes. Recognise their union and treat them like decent human beings. Then you can demand your pound of flesh!

HOWARD


100000% i listened to mates of mine telling me that "the workes" wanted more money. We discussed this while eating oysters followed by lobsters. Then we left Sandton city in his Lambo. When i asked how much "more" they wanted he told me that they each wanted R400 a month. There were 40 of them.

I told him sell the lambo

One should take great care with the word racist Howard, I see nothing on here that is in the slightly bit racist. People often see racism not where it is but where they stereotypically "like" to think it is. I am way beyond tired of that. The first part of your post I agree with, the second part I don't think has any place in the "conversation" to be honest, unless you particularly want to say who, whether they be part of this topic or not, is being racist?

I have seen Louis Goosens post on this subject it needs to be read by all.

Enough of this drivel for me today, fire your grooms & do it yourself or have the balls to make changes,other than that i support the grooms strike.

agree that their is surely a lot of bad grooms but their is also lots of very good grooms......how do trainers look after them we can discuss for ages.....and i feel they have a right to make themself heard ....... how many trainers take pride how their stable(not just their horses) is displayed on racedays????????? the horse looks impeccable with a groom that must look like shit next to him with broken shoes ,dirty torn clothes...you not bullshitting me by saying you look after the groom also Mr trainer ......they also represent your stable Mr trainer and its easy to see how most trainers does look after themselves and their horses but not at the man behind the scene that basicly do all the work on the horse......shame on you Mr Trainer......see again tomorrow at the biggest meeting in capetown how many grooms will look bad and poorer than the beggars at the robot but the boss will thank everyone included the sponsor of his stable .....and that poor dirty groom will get his little envelope from the presenter , put the sponsored blanket over the winner's back and go take care of the horse while the boss entertain his patrons.......

pay the poor guy what he is worth .....if he can look after 3-4 horses(any good groom can do that with a smile) he can get double what he earns now and the stable sponsors must start incentivizing the worker and not just the boss
Trainers are the first to moan but wonder what the grooms would say if they also been able to post here on abc......


good grooms are made by you Mr Trainer by schooling,management and building a team and looking after them financially ........ they dont just walk into your "position",good grooms dont leave a stable if they are looked after....if you had a lot of grooms starting and leaving your stable then the problem is probably YOU....not the grooms,give everyone a fair chance but dont expect miracles if you dont do your part,put in the time and see how many will shine.....

this is directed to all trainers whose grooms must look like shit in the ring everyday while the boss standing around giving orders in his suit and new tie.......

(ps:and the grooms that do show up tomorrow really do want their job......start looking after them ...... they have now the ideal opportunity not to work )

just my opinion

Howard Wrote:

---

> No one in their right minds can pretend that the
> income disparities in this country and the gap
> between rich and poor is shocking. No one can
> pretend that the public sector, particularly
> education and health are in a very serious crisis.
> It is the responsibility of all of us to think of
> how we can overcome these problems. I am so tired
> of what often amounts to racist stereotypes.
> Recognise their union and treat them like decent
> human beings. Then you can demand your pound of
> flesh!

Agree 100 perc

Anyway I was a student at the groom school Craig when Bulana ran it! As for free accomodation and electricity , those hostils were infested with cockroaches and you were lucky to get hot water. This chap Mr Simoto used to work for Penny Bester and Mike Bass and was top achiever in his year in the cape groom school therefore he was sent on a one week learnership exchange while I was there , the poor guy was sent with some horses on a horse float th Durban! Mr Simoto used to sit with Bulana and I during our meetings when we were planning out transformation stradegy, he is a very smart man and I wish they win the battle and be given a living wage , I also commend the grooms for standing up for Mr Ian Jayes

@Bad Co & Howard (incl. Togershark, Englander & others):

'agree 100%'

The paranoid reactions are expected and just as well I did not intiate this thread! BTW- I knew nothing of it until receiving the press statement.

The solution is simple when judged against overseas operations (just answer what is 'missing' in our situation where grooms are all mostly uneducated blacks).

1. In the UK grooms receive a salary of circa R10 000pm
2. The salary is subsidised
3. There is a training school and opportunities to advance to being a trainer, jockey etc.
4. They generally 'live in' with the trainer on the premises (not in cockroach, flea and bug infested compounds, no matter how well white-washed from the outside!) How many white / Indian / Coloured grooms (if any, besides Bad Company who did) live / share residences with the black grooms? Yet, they ride in the Grooms' Race?
5. They also qualify for perks, medical aid,and other benefits
6. If they travel in floats, this is more for 'troublesome' horses (does anyone know how grooms travel in floats here? Shocking!)


Finally, as much as we have a poor standard of grooms (which SAGA does not shy from admitting), what of the standard of trainers and officials?

To exploit raw, untested, inexperienced, uneducated labour and expect miracles from them borders on the worst form of proper business practice. Then to villify them because of their impairment is equally horrid.

We have a slef-serving Government that gives a shit about the plight of its people; then we have 'moralists' that ride on this plague as sanctimonious proponents of 'giving them a job, at least!' Bullshit!

I was a night-shift manager at Makro years ago in a unionised environment. Before I left, not only did we break the record for the highest number of palettes unapcked overnight, but, I was coaxed into being nominated as a shop stweard.... and I won the highest number of votes!

Now, if I did not identify, and empathise, with my staff, share in their plight and try to uplift them.... that would never have happened. In fact, hasn't happened again!

Such one does not learn at management / motivational schools; the University of Hard Knocks only!

umlilo..they are workrider races,not grooms races..there is a difference

cant use treatment of uk grooms compared to ours..then u must similarly compare treatment and training circumstances of trainers here compared to trainers in hong kong,uk etc..same goes for assistants and stable employees..matter of fact same goes for just about every low skilled labour job in this country..this is africa,not the first world..

@JustinV:

'umlilo..they are workrider races,not grooms races..there is a difference'

With due respects....Sugar coated pill!
Where else in the world are such workrider races staged?
And workriders also stand in as grooms?

Living under such inhuman conditions?

Umilio R10000 in the uk wouldnt rent a 2 bed flat in my town