Johannesburg - Shoprite Holdings had fired almost 3 000 workers who were striking over pay and working conditions in Zambia, their union said yesterday.
The strike began on Monday, Robert Musanje, the president of the National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers, said yesterday.
The Cape Town-based retailer had dismissed the employees on Tuesday and told them they could reapply for their positions, Musanje said.
“We were busy trying to persuade the workers to return to work [on Tuesday],” he said. “As we were doing that, we received a shock that the management of Shoprite had decided to dismiss all the workers.”
The strike would continue, he said.
Shoprite spokeswoman Sarita van Wyk did not immediately respond to e-mailed questions yesterday seeking confirmation of the firings.
Shoprite had increased its Zambian employees’ pay in July to comply with minimum wage laws, Van Wyk said in a reply to questions on Tuesday.
“The dispute between management and the union centres around additional increases and the restructuring of allowances that form part of employees’ remuneration,” Van Wyk said.
Union leaders would meet Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda and Shoprite management later in the day, Musanje said yesterday.
“Government cannot accept [the firings],” he said.
Konkola Copper Mines, the Zambian unit of Vedanta Resources, said in May that it would cut 2 000 jobs after costs rose and prices for the metal fell. The company reversed the decision the following month after holding talks with the government and unions.
Shoprite runs 21 stores in Zambia and nine Hungry Lion fast food outlets, according to its 2013 annual report. The country has the most Shoprite stores outside South Africa, the report shows.
Shoprite rose 2.01 percent to R175 on the JSE yesterday. The general retailers index added 1.41 percent. – Bloomberg
