NUMSA supports calls to boycott Shoprite

WINDHOEK, 05 AUG – The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) has come out in support of calls for Shoprite to withdraw all disciplinary action against 93 employees for their involvement in a strike in 2015.

Shoprite on Friday said it was withdrawing the N$4.5 million lawsuit against the employees, but said the internal disciplinary hearings against the employees are continuing.
The NUMSA statement said Shoprite is “an abusive company whose success depends on the rampant exploitation of labour.”

“They treat workers as slaves and even in South Africa, they have a terrible reputation as an employer,” NUMSA General Secretary, Irvin Jim was quoted as saying in the statement.
The South African union further said the retailer is “notorious on the continent for abusing workers,” adding that in Zambia, the government threatened to withdraw their licence because they dismissed employees for embarking on a strike for higher wages in 2013.

NUMSA also said it supports calls for a boycott.
The National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) called for a national boycott if the company did not drop its attempt to sue the employees. Reacting to the news that the lawsuit had been withdrawn on Friday, NUNW second vice-president Phillip Munenguni however said they are going ahead with demands for a boycott until all charges against the workers are dismissed and until Shoprite allows unions to recruit members within all their organisations around the country.

The 93 employees in Windhoek started striking at the end of July 2015 after the company refused to negotiate on wage proposals submitted the previous month.
The retailer argued that they went on an illegal strike and the employees have since been facing disciplinary charges for participating in the strike.

Shoprite filed the case against the employees in the Windhoek High Court last week.
The summons followed a cost order issued by the High Court of Namibia in November 2015 in favour of Shoprite against the group of employees, for loss of sales, legal costs and damages incurred because of unlawful strike action in December 2014 and July 2015.  – NAMPA