Abattoir workers who were dismissed after allegedly refusing to work 18-hour shifts to process 850 carcasses a day are taking their case to the Labour Appeal Court.Robertson Abattoir locked out and dismissed them in November 2010‚ saying that they were let go for “absenteeism” and “insubordination” after disciplinary proceedings.The workers‚ members of the Commercial Stevedoring Agricultural & Allied Workers’ Union‚ want the Labour Appeal Court in Cape Town to set aside a decision by the Labour Court to dismiss their application for unfair dismissal.The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa‚ a non-profit human rights organisation‚ is representing the workers in the case.Its lawyer‚ Bhavna Ramji‚ said: “We are expecting a full day of arguments on whether the Labour Court was correct in finding that the workers did not prove their case”.The workers had argued in the Labour Court that their dismissal was unfair because they refused to work long hours in “oppressive working conditions” for R300 to R400 a week.According to Seri‚ the workers had been forced to work 18-hour days to meet slaughter quotas to which they had not agreed in their contracts of employment. They were expected to slaughter 850 carcasses per day.The Labour Court found that the workers had not proved that they were locked out and dismissed on the date and for the reasons they alleged‚ and dismissed the workers’ case without hearing any evidence from the Abattoir.The workers and union contend that this decision was incorrect‚ and will ask the Labour Appeal Court to set it aside...