Johannesburg - Walmart and Massmart Holdings [JSE:MSM] should increase their planned fund to support South African suppliers to at least R500m from R100m, the country’s largest service industry union said on Monday.
The South Africa Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) also said it wants a guarantee that Massmart will not decrease its domestic procurement.
Walmart in June finalised its R16.5bn purchase of a majority stake in discount retailer Massmart, but three government departments and the union have appealed the deal, saying they want further concessions on domestic procurement.
“Saccawu is calling for Walmart and Massmart to increase their supplier development fund to at least R500m from the agreed R100m," it said in a statement handed to reporters at a briefing.
“And for the companies to be prevented from spending less on domestic procurement than Massmart spent on domestic procurement ahead of the merger.”
The union also said it wanted Massmart to reinstate 574 previously fired workers.
Cosatu, the 2 million-member labour federation to which Saccawu belongs, said it was ready to strike if the appeal should fail. It said its members would also picket the homes of directors of major South African retailers.
The two-day appeal against the conditions of the deal is scheduled to begin on October 20.
The South Africa Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) also said it wants a guarantee that Massmart will not decrease its domestic procurement.
Walmart in June finalised its R16.5bn purchase of a majority stake in discount retailer Massmart, but three government departments and the union have appealed the deal, saying they want further concessions on domestic procurement.
“Saccawu is calling for Walmart and Massmart to increase their supplier development fund to at least R500m from the agreed R100m," it said in a statement handed to reporters at a briefing.
“And for the companies to be prevented from spending less on domestic procurement than Massmart spent on domestic procurement ahead of the merger.”
The union also said it wanted Massmart to reinstate 574 previously fired workers.
Cosatu, the 2 million-member labour federation to which Saccawu belongs, said it was ready to strike if the appeal should fail. It said its members would also picket the homes of directors of major South African retailers.
The two-day appeal against the conditions of the deal is scheduled to begin on October 20.