SACTWU TABLES NOTICE OF PROTEST ACTION AGAINST
RETAILERS
23 May 2001
The South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union has tabled
a notice
of possible protest action against retailers regarding, amongst
other issues, high levels of imports by retailers, pricing policies
of retailers towards manufacturers and the practices of retailers
in shifting their sources to low wages areas and exploiting workers
in the informal sector. The notice, which was received after the
close of business on 21 May 2001, also cites the continuing job
losses in the clothing, textile and footwear manufacturing industry
as a reason for the intended socio-economic protest action.
Sactwu's notice says that these are caused, inter alia, by the
sourcing decisions of retailers
The notice was tabled in terms of Section 77 of the Labour
RelationsAct, which allows registered trade unions or federations
of trade unions to undertake protest action to promote and protect
the social and economic interests of workers, if they follow
certain procedures. Before embarking on protest action, the trade
union concerned is required to serve notice on Nedlac stating the
reasons for the protest action and the intended nature of the
protest action. The Act requires the Nedlac parties to meet with
the trade union and the parties at whom the notice is directed, to
consider the issues raised. Should the issues remain unresolved
after thorough consideration, workers are entitled to participate
in protected protest action 14 days after serving a second notice
on Nedlac of their intention to proceed with the action.
In the notice served on Nedlac, Sactwu says that the protest
would take on some of the following forms:
- Mass rallies outside retail stores
- Placard demonstrations at targeted retail warehouses
- Demonstrations at events sponsored by any of the retail
companies
- Call for consumer boycotts
- "Siyalala's" at the retail companies and associated operations
during operating hours for the purpose of retarding and/or
obstructing work in order to defend the socio-economic interests of
workers.
The protest is directed at the retail sector. Sactwu specifies
11 retailers in the notice: Mr Price; Pepkor; Edgars Group; Wooltru
Group; The Foschini Group; LA Group; Stuttafords; Choice Clothing;
Pick n Pay; Milady's Retail Clothing and Shoprite Checkers. .
The notice has been forwarded to Nedlac's standing committee on
Section 77 notices, which will be required to call a meeting of the
parties.
Contact: Jennifer Wilson
(011) 482 2511
082 495 1341
Or Sactwu for further details.