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Makro boycott underway: Workers’ strike for wage increases
Workers embark on 10-day strike starting today, demanding a 12% wage increase. Unions have called on the public to boycott Marko stores.
Photo for illustration purposes. Members of the SANDF patrolling outside the Wonderboom Makro in Pretoria, on16 July 2021. The Citizen News/Jacques Nelles
Saccawu (SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union) and Cosatu (Congress of South African Trade Unions) will be embarking on a ten-day strike at Makro stores, starting today.
The protest action is over wage increases at Makro stores (owned by Massmart), with the union demanding a 12% increase (approximately R900).
Members are demanding a minimum wage of R8 000 as well as a 13th cheque, along with a uniform allowance of R100.
Spokesperson Sithembele Tshwete said Saccawu will pressurise Marko to accede to the demands and improve working conditions for staff.
The union is calling on the public to support the strike by boycotting Makro stores over the coming days, starting at Silver lakes, in Pretoria, from 10am this morning.
In a statement released earlier this week, Saccawu and Cosatu called on “all patriotic South Africans to boycott all Marko products”.
“Makro has dismissed more than 400 workers only for exercising their rights to negotiate for better wages; more than 400 families are subjected to poverty by a company that does not want to comply with the laws of this country.”
Speaking on Radio 702 on Friday morning, Massmart’s Brian Leroni said the company will need to agree to the wage increase.
He said staff will be deployed to stores affected by the strike action.
This is a developing story and will be updated throughout the day.
