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Johannesburg - The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Unions (Saccawu) said late on Tuesday that more than 27 000 of its members at Pick n Pay Stores [JSE:PIK] will embark on a full-blown strike from Friday.
The union said the strike was a culmination of the dispute over wages and terms and conditions of employment that has been dragging on for more than 10 months.
The strike will kick off with a mass protest march on Thursday 28 in Volsoorus on the Gauteng East Rand, where Pick n Pay is planning to open a new store.
This will be followed by protest marches in nine other major cities in other parts of the country on October 29.
"Inaccurate reporting of the facts - some from the media and some from the company - have plagued this dispute.
"Much of this reporting tries to portray workers and the union as unreasonable and is a clear attempt to sway public sympathy against striking workers and the union," said Saccawu.
It added that while Pick n Pay's representatives have gone public committing themselves to resolving the dispute, the company has failed to do so in engagements with the union.
"Saccawu national office bearers have numerous times requested a meeting with the company at the highest levels, specifically with the CEO, Nick Badminton; however there has been no positive response to this request," said the union.
The UNI-Global Union, of which Saccawu is an affiliate, has also called on the Pick n Pay to meet with the union to resolve the dispute. However, despite reiterating their commitment to resolve the dispute, the company has yet to agree to such a meeting.
Saccawu said that while Pick n Pay pleads poverty it has embarked on an aggressive expansion plan, with 15 new stores to be opened by February, between 40 to 50 small format forecourt stores at petrol stations as well as African expansion into Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia in the next year.
"What is evident from this is, how, even before Walmart enters the African market, Pick n Pay is already positioning themselves to compete with Walmart in the Walmart way - at the expense of the workers - hostility towards the union, refusing reasonable increases, unilaterally cancellation agreements, unilateral restructuring and attempts to weaken the union at shop-floor level," it said.
Members are demanding a R550 per month increase or 12% "whichever is greater", a 10% staff discount on basic foodstuffs, 120 hours per month guaranteed for variable time employees, a one-year wage agreement, an end in the use of labour brokers and the establishment of a centralised bargaining forum for the retail sector.
The union said the strike was a culmination of the dispute over wages and terms and conditions of employment that has been dragging on for more than 10 months.
The strike will kick off with a mass protest march on Thursday 28 in Volsoorus on the Gauteng East Rand, where Pick n Pay is planning to open a new store.
This will be followed by protest marches in nine other major cities in other parts of the country on October 29.
"Inaccurate reporting of the facts - some from the media and some from the company - have plagued this dispute.
"Much of this reporting tries to portray workers and the union as unreasonable and is a clear attempt to sway public sympathy against striking workers and the union," said Saccawu.
It added that while Pick n Pay's representatives have gone public committing themselves to resolving the dispute, the company has failed to do so in engagements with the union.
"Saccawu national office bearers have numerous times requested a meeting with the company at the highest levels, specifically with the CEO, Nick Badminton; however there has been no positive response to this request," said the union.
The UNI-Global Union, of which Saccawu is an affiliate, has also called on the Pick n Pay to meet with the union to resolve the dispute. However, despite reiterating their commitment to resolve the dispute, the company has yet to agree to such a meeting.
Saccawu said that while Pick n Pay pleads poverty it has embarked on an aggressive expansion plan, with 15 new stores to be opened by February, between 40 to 50 small format forecourt stores at petrol stations as well as African expansion into Mauritius, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia in the next year.
"What is evident from this is, how, even before Walmart enters the African market, Pick n Pay is already positioning themselves to compete with Walmart in the Walmart way - at the expense of the workers - hostility towards the union, refusing reasonable increases, unilaterally cancellation agreements, unilateral restructuring and attempts to weaken the union at shop-floor level," it said.
Members are demanding a R550 per month increase or 12% "whichever is greater", a 10% staff discount on basic foodstuffs, 120 hours per month guaranteed for variable time employees, a one-year wage agreement, an end in the use of labour brokers and the establishment of a centralised bargaining forum for the retail sector.
