BusinessLive reports that the SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (Saccawu) is threatening to embark on industrial action at retail giant Massmart over potential retrenchments that could result in more than 100 workers losing their jobs.
Massmart, owned by Walmart, is grappling with a R6bn sales hit from the global Covid-19 pandemic. It announced a turnaround plan in January 2020 as well as the potential closure of 34 DionWired and Masscash stores. The company, which owns Game, Makro and Builders Warehouse, employs about 45,000 workers. On 2 February, it issued a so-called section 189 retrenchment notice potentially affecting about 130 workers. Saccawu said Massmart initially wanted to retrench about 1,400 employees during June and July 2020, and noted that most of the affected employees had already been placed in other posts within the company. The Cosatu affiliate has continued to engage with Massmart regarding about 130 workers who have yet to be placed. This week, Saccawu said it had “exhausted all efforts intended to convince Massmart” to stop the retrenchments. “The union is engaging with all members across SA and in all brands of Massmart and her subsidiaries for a remedial action under the circumstances, including industrial action; if needs be,” the union stated.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive
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