Retailer Pick ‘n Pay is seeking an interdict to stop striking workers from shutting stores down and preventing people from entering them, its chief executive said on Friday.
”An interdict is being sought to stop their illegal behaviour to shut the stores down. They clearly have a right to withhold their labour, but this is patently illegal,” chief executive Sean Summers said.
”We’ve got members of the union on radio inciting people to commit illegal acts, such as trying to lock the stores and block people from entering.”
Summers said the ”vast majority” of the retailer’s outlets were open and trading.
”We will continue to operate,” he said.
The South African Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) said the union and management were to meet under the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration at on Friday to discuss picketing rules, Saccawu deputy general secretary Mduduzi Mbongwe said.
”The strike is going ahead, but we’ve received a lot of allegations of intimidation by management from our members.”
He confirmed the union had received notice of the interdict, but was reluctant to discuss its content.
”We’ve instructed attorneys to act on our behalf,” Mbongwe said. – Sapa