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WOOLWORTHS South Africa should respect workers’ rights and reinstate the recognition agreement signed with the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union (SACCAWU).
In a statement adopted by members of the UNI-Africa Executive Committee meeting in Cape Town, South Africa from 7 – 9 October 2008, Woolworths is also urged to stop victimising workers and to quickly conclude negotiations with the union.
The statement says, “the UNI-Africa Executive Committee stands in full support of workers in Woolworths South Africa and demand that the company respects workers’ rights to organise and join a union of their choice.
We demand that Woolworths recognises SACCAWU by restoring the recognition agreement signed with the union in 1983.
We cannot accept the continued exploitation of workers at Woolworths, the majority of whom have been converted to agency, temporary and atypical forms of employment with no rights to belong to the union. Such foreign “Walmartisation” philiosophies are unacceptable.
As members of UNI Global Union representing over 20 million service employees globally, we pledge our solidarity with Woolworths workers who are recently on strike demanding for union recognition.
Woolworths should respect internationally recognised ILO Conventions 98 and 78 on workers’ rights to organise and bargain collectively.
We urge Woolworths to stop victimising workers and to quickly resolve the current negotiations with SACCAWU.
We fully support our affiliate, SACCAWU, as well as the boycott against Woolworths. We will mobilise communities wherever Woolworths operates, including Australia, to embark on a consumer boycott.”
Union Network
October 11, 2008