Makro has said strike action at its stores should not affect its operations.
The retail chain said it was advised on 24 October of the SA Commercial, Catering & Allied Workers Union’s intention to embark on a three-day strike at its stores.
“It should be noted that this decision has been taken unilaterally by the union in the absence of their conducting strike ballots across the Makro store base. This approach is consistent with our impression that the union has been negotiating in bad faith,” Makro said.
On Monday, 24 October, six stores had conducted strike ballots, three of which voted against strike action.
Makro further stated that at one particular store 7% of staff voted to strike.
The union’s demands include a 12% wage rise and an increase in sales commission from 10% to 20%. Makro says both are intuitively unrealistic.
“Makro has implemented strike contingency plans, which include deploying temporary employees who have been trained in our store processes. There has, as of this morning, been a sharp increase in Makro employees resigning their union membership,” Makro said on Thursday.
“We do not anticipate disruption to normal store trading activity as a result of the strike action,” the company further stated.
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