Johannesburg - The Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) today will seek a fresh mandate from its striking members at Coca-Cola production plants across the country, in a move aimed at breaking the impasse over the workers' demands for a share of the profit.
Fawu said about half of the 4 000 employees were on strike.
This follows a meeting with management in Sandton yesterday at which the parties failed to agree on arbitration to end the deadlock.
Derrick Cele, Fawu's general secretary, said the union was not keen on arbitration but was prepared to "obtain a fresh mandate from members''.
The strike, which started in Midrand, has spread to plants in Devland, Pretoria, Bedfordview, Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
Andre Parker, the human resources director at Amalgamated Beverages Industries (ABI), said: "The strike resulted from a dispute which arose over the disbursement of R500 000. The money was from a challenge issued by Coca-Cola Southern and East Africa in January 2001 for the Midrand sales and distribution plant to meet an agreed sales target.
"The target was reached and in February this year, Midrand was awarded the money. Striking employees are demanding that the award be split equally among them.
"This was never the intention and had never been promised.''
The strike has resulted in a shortage of drinks in several stores around Gauteng.
The union had earlier vowed to press ahead with the strike until its demands were met.
Parker said he was concerned that workers had lost wages because of the strike. "Our concern is that with the rising food prices and Christmas around the corner, their families are suffering," he said.