Wage negotiations between the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union and retailer Pick ‘n Pay will continue on Thursday after Wednesday’s talks deadlocked.
Pick ‘n Pay spokesperson Tamra Veley said there was no change in the offer on the table by the end of Wednesday’s talks.
Pick ‘n Pay is still offering its workers an increase of R310 per month or 7,9%, whichever is greater. Unions are demanding 12% or R400.
The meeting will be facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration at the commission’s office in Johannesburg.
On Tuesday, striking workers handed a memorandum to Pick ‘n Pay management in Johannesburg, giving it 48 hours to submit to pay demands.
The memorandum — received by human resources director Frans van der Walt and managing director of retail Nick Badminton — was signed and handed back to the marchers, with the representatives calling on the marchers to accept the company’s offer and to exercise restraint during the strike.
Workers have been on strike since last Friday.
Pick ‘n Pay has estimated that the strike cost it a cumulative turnover loss of just less than R50-million by Monday. Most of the losses were experienced on Friday and Saturday due to disruptions caused by striking workers, who prevented customers from shopping, thus prompting the retailer to seek a court interdict.
Pick ‘n Pay shares closed 1,3% or 33 cents higher on Wednesday, last quoted on the JSE Securities Exchange at R26,50 from R26,17 at Tuesday’s close, with 394 954 shares having changed hands. — I-Net Bridge, Sapa