Massmart employees at Makro are threatening to abandon their stations on Black Friday as part of an ongoing strike.
Also read: It’s Black Friday this week. What does that actually mean?
EWN reports that after months of negotiations through the CCMA, workers from the South African Catering, Commercial and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) are expected to picket at Makro stores around the country.
Saccawu claims that the two-day picket, which coincides with one of the busiest shopping days of the year, is intended to pressure the corporation into giving in to their demands regarding pay and working conditions.
These include an overall increase of 12%, sales commissions from 10% to 20%, a R100 uniform allowance, and a 13th cheque for all workers in December.
If the union follows through with its strike action on Black Friday, warehousing and retail giant Massmart is likely to have its hands full while the rest of the industry prepares for the biggest single sales day of the year.
Senior vice president of Massmart, Brian Leroni, said that the union’s demands were unrealistic.
“Saccawu union officials at Makro have indicated privately that they know the company can’t afford a 12% increase. This is perhaps best supported by the fact that Saccawu recently settled for a 4.5% increase at our Builder’s and Game stores,” said Leroni. He added that Massmart had contingency plans in place to ensure the operation of its stores after Saccawu held similar nationwide demonstrations during the same period last year.
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Picture: Cape{town}Etc Library
