The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (Saccawu) will stage protests in four major cities against listed retailer Pick n Pay, the union said on Friday.
The protest action will take place on Friday next week.
Saccawu could not say whether or not Pick n Pay’s workers would go on strike.
”We will decide at the appropriate moment,” said Saccawu spokesperson Mduduzi Mbongwe.
He added that the union had the right to serve the company with a 48-hour notice to embark on protected industrial action.
This followed the deadlock of wage talks between the union and the retailer at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
Saccawu has demanded the greater of 12% or R500 as a pay increase, with a minimum wage of R3 000 per month.
The company has offered a R385 across the board increase and has dismissed the minimum wage demand.
A wage deal between the parties, valid for three years, ended late last year.
While Pick n Pay wanted to negotiate a similar deal, Saccawu said it wished to negotiate every year.
Saccawu said its protests would include mass marches culminating in the handing over of memorandums to Pick n Pay management.
The marchers would gather at Pick n Pay offices in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and in the Eastern Cape. — Sapa