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FIFI PETERS: Shifting away from Eskom issues and simply trying on the potential upcoming strike of solidarity that could possibly be hitting Massmart shops, among the portfolio of its shops, as of tomorrow [Thursday, 15 December].
In reality, these of you who had been planning to go to both Game or the meals store, or Rhino or Builders Warehouse – and even Jumbo for that matter – must be conscious that maybe there could possibly be a bit extra exercise round these outlets than you’re in any other case used to, due to the scheduled strike that could possibly be going forward, being organised by the South African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union [Saccawu], which stated it deliberate to carry a solidarity strike tomorrow after talks on the CCMA of the pay for Makro staff didn’t fairly go its manner.
We’ve received Mike Tau, the second deputy president at Saccawu on the road for extra particulars. Mike, thanks a lot to your time. Tell us what may occur tomorrow, and why.
MIKE TAU: [You may] keep in mind that there’s been a protracted dispute with Makro, which is owned by Walmart. We began with [a demand] for 12% or R800, whichever is the larger, after which another calls for on the desk. But the primary focus not too long ago was on the wage improve.
Last week we obtained a letter from the CCMA on Section 150 to attempt to make some interventions, as first the corporate was not occupied with coming. Then we determined [to] serve them with the strike discover, 48 hours’ discover, for tomorrow, and we prolonged the strike when it comes to the regulation to a secondary strike by one other subsidiary firm of Walmart.
When we went to the CCMA, we revised our place from 8% to 7.5% and R630, whichever works out the larger, and the corporate requested that we should always give them till yesterday [at] one o’clock. Yesterday [at] o’clock events met on the CCMA and the corporate determined once more that they wanted to satisfy their govt, and so they requested that we should always meet once more on December 19.
But sadly this morning after we wakened we realised that they [had] communicated one other propaganda equipment, by saying they’ve been participating with Saccawu and so they consider that the union just isn’t occupied with resolving this dispute.
Then we resuscitated our strike discover which was despatched to the corporate final week, and we determined that we’d go on with a one-day industrial motion tomorrow, and right here in Gauteng there’ll be a march going to Makro [and] we’d meet. And then in different provinces as nicely there might be some march [or] demonstration.
FIFI PETERS: Okay, Mike, let’s really hear from the corporate.
Let’s get their aspect of the story. We do have a voice word that was despatched by Brian Lerone – he’s the senior vice chairman for group company affairs at Massmart. Let’s hear in.
BRIAN LERONE: ‘From the outset the union have been reluctant participants in the dispute settlement process at the CCMA, and really they took the earliest opportunity to walk out of talks. It’s clear that Saccawu doesn’t wish to settle this wage dispute, and so now we have closed the 2022 wage-negotiation course of. We have turn into fairly good at implementing strike backup plans, and these have now been activated at our affected shops.’
FIFI PETERS: Mike, what do you concentrate on that and the assertion the corporate is making that it’s clear that Saccawu doesn’t wish to finish this wage dispute.
MIKE TAU: Let me put this by way of to you, that when the CCMA referred to as us for a Section 150, then we accepted the Section 150. Then we arrived on the CCMA, then we put a proposal to administration. Then administration stated we should give them up till the [13th], which was yesterday, up till 13:00, round one o’clock. We accepted, we gave them the time. And then, after they arrived on the CCMA, they went and caucused for a very long time. Coming again they stated they had been assembly their govt as a result of they didn’t perceive our earlier place correctly.
We defined the place correctly. And then after [our] explaining the place correctly, they requested that we should always give them up till subsequent Wednesday as a result of the chief is assembly on Wednesday. Now we’re stunned to listen to that Saccawu just isn’t occupied with resolving this dispute.
We are placing the blame on the corporate as a result of it’s they who stated we should give them the time – twice. And whereas we nonetheless had our nationwide govt committee at this time, after we [were] within the nationwide govt committee, they don’t even talk to us. They communicated to members on the bottom and so they [said] to members in accordance with them the strike is over – I imply, the negotiations for 2022 are closed. Therefore there might be no [further] room for negotiations.
We consider that they’re negotiating in dangerous religion as a result of we agreed and accepted. The get together met in entrance of the CCMA Commissioner … and he suggested us that if we wish to settle when the corporate requests a while to go and meet their principals, likewise I’d request that. We allowed them to try this. And once more, to make it possible for we needed to resolve this dispute we suspended our strike. We wrote a letter to the corporate and stated the strike is suspended.
But after seeing their techniques yesterday and this morning, we determined that we would have liked to resuscitate that 48 hours’ discover.
FIFI PETERS: Okay. The firm does say they’ve received measures in place. They are anticipating the strikes. I simply wish to know – after the one-day solidarity strike tomorrow, Mike, what subsequent?
MIKE TAU: We’ll exit on strike tomorrow and our members will return to work as normal on Saturday. And we’ll on Monday once more meet and assess the strike and resolve on the best way ahead once more on Monday.
FIFI PETERS: Okay. We’ll be searching for these developments, sir. Thanks a lot for taking the time to present us that data. Mike Tau is the second deputy president of Saccawu.
