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Escalate anti-Walmart campaign: Vavi

Johannesburg - The campaign against US retail group Walmart, "which has no regard for local procurement and workers' rights", must be heightened, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Tuesday.

He was addressing a conference of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa).

"We will need to hear all your voices as we say that we will not accept a race to the bottom in terms of workers' wages and employment conditions, and that we will not accept further de-industrialisation and job losses that will come with the entry of Walmart into our economy," he said.

"To everyone who cares to listen we say yes, we want foreign investments and we know the connection between this and our ability to create jobs and liberate ourselves from poverty, but we also know that a good investment must really give us a potential to create jobs and crush poverty."

Vavi said labour's call to the Competition Tribunal was clear: "Don't approve the Walmart takeover of Massmart Holdings [JSE:MSM]  without conditions." These should the include protection of workers' rights and local procurement.

"The demand that all retailers should procure 75% of their goods from SA also applies to all other retailers including Pick n Pay, Shoprite Checkers and Spar," he said.

"We are submitting these demands to the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) and if they are not realised, we shall back them with a strike action."

The Competition Tribunal recently adjourned its hearings into the proposed R17bn merger between Walmart and local retailer Massmart until May 9, setting aside six days for the deliberations.

This comes after concern from unions that the timetable proposed by the tribunal would not allow them sufficient time to cross-examine witnesses.

Walmart made the rand cash offer in November to acquire 51% of Massmart at R148 per Massmart share - a smaller stake than the initial 100% offer in September, but one that would see Massmart retain its listing on the JSE.
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