Striking Super Spar Ruimsig employees are expected to resume their demonstrations against management today, 31 May, following yesterday’s strike action.
The disgruntled workers vented their dissatisfaction with management by striking in front of the store inside Ruimsig Shopping Centre from 8am, demanding better working conditions and company benefits.
Nolukholo Mfana, one of the shop stewards, told Northsider the reasons behind the protest. “We are trying to fight for our rights because the Spar head office is not taking our grievances seriously,” she said.
She shared that they do not receive any form of communication when decisions such as a take-over by new owners are taken, and the company fails to negotiate with its employees on issues relating to wage increases and working hours. “We feel like we are treated like nothing, after all we’ve done for the company. In this company, we don’t have long service rewards, or a provident fund – we are just treated as transactions because they can transfer us to any new boss as they wish,” Nolukholo lamented.
The Food and Allied Workers Union representing the workers indicated that Spar was aware of the workers’ grievances and has failed to negotiate with them.
“We submitted our demands to the company in November last year, and we tried to negotiate up until February this year,” said union representative, Puseletso Mpitso.
According to Puseletso, the company failed to meet the demands and they decided to take the matter to the CCMA. “We went to the CCMA in May. The company asked for an extension until 28 May but they failed to appear at the hearings, so the Commissioner gave us permission to strike,” she explained.
The strike disrupted the smooth running of the store as the workers chanted in front of the store with placards while it was being guarded by private security hired to protect it and its customers.
As the sun set, the workers became agitated as the store manager had not bothered to address them. This resulted in a build-up of tensions between the workers and the private guards. ANCYL Zone 5 chairperson Ashley Mama intervened in the process, and addressed workers after communicating with the store manager and security guards. The talks resulted in the strike being called off, with the intention to resume the next day.
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