Goseame strike halted
Following the employee strike at Goseame Wholesalers on Wednesday and Thursday, the workers are back at their posts and the store is open again for business.
Vella Nyoni and Calvyn van Wyk
POLOKWANE – The strike was called off today after Goseame Wholesalers Industrial Relations Officer, Manti Malakalaka, said the union embarked on the protest action illegally.
“The strike was called off because it was unlawful as the union should have given us notice of the protest action 48 hours in advance which they failed to do. Employees are back at work today because had they refused they would have been in contravention of the policies and procedures,” Malakalaka said.
Disgruntled employees, members of the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (Nupsaw), protested outside the store on Wednesday and Thursday in a labour dispute over wages.
Nupsaw Provincial Organiser, Noko Moetji, said employees were unhappy after not receiving bonuses and that the issue resulted in a meeting with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), where an agreement could not be reached.
“The CCMA issued us with a certificate to strike, hence the protest action on Wednesday and Thursday,” he commented.
Nupsaw stands behind its members, who were willing to protest for as long as it took for the employer to meet their demands, according to Moetji.
Malakalaka said the company has tried to reach common ground with the unhappy employees, but to no avail.
“We respect their democratic right to strike and don’t have a problem with what they are doing, given that they follow the correct procedures and policies. As a company we are willing to meet with them again to negotiate salary increases, but currently it is not viable for the company to meet their demands,” Malakalaka said.
vella@nmgroup.co.za
