Listed retailer Woolworths maintains that the vast majority of its employees do not wish to belong to a union, the Woolworths press office said on Tuesday.
”Woolworths recognises the right of the union to organise its members if they demonstrate they are sufficiently representative,” it said in a statement. ”The vast majority of our employees, more than 85%, however have not indicated a wish to belong to a union.”
The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (Saccawu) is embarking on a five-day national strike from Wednesday to demand the recognition of the union by Woolworths as a sufficiently representative body and an end to unilaterally determined increases.
Woolworths, however, says its employee salary increases are competitive and its employees have contracts with benefits that guarantee minimum hours of work on a weekly basis.
Saccawu spokesperson Thabo Mahlangu has said that some Woolworths employees have filled in forms and signed up to join the union.
”We have evidence that the employees are interested in joining the union. Members have filled in and signed the forms, overwhelmingly,” he said.
Mahlangu said a total of 5 460 employees have signed the forms.
He said the strike action will go ahead on Wednesday and be reviewed on Friday to consider an extension. — Sapa