Demo in solidarity with Shoprite workers

Demo in solidarity with Shoprite workers A planned demonstration by various stakeholders is expected to take place this afternoon in front of the Shoprite Katutura outlet in Windhoek.

This is according to the Economic and Social Justice Trust (ESJT) Chairperson, Herbert Jauch, who said the trust in collaboration with other organisations and individuals will be at the forefront of the demonstration.

Jauch said the demonstration will take place at 13:00 and 14:00.

Jauch indicated that during the demonstration they will hand over a signed petition to Shoprite's management.

He said the petition is about the disciplinary cases Shoprite workers are currently faced with to be dropped and for the company to improve the working conditions of its employees.

“We will hand over the signed petition to Shoprite management to renew our demand for the disciplinary cases to be dropped.

“We hope that renewed pressure will help Shoprite to realise that instead of further victimising workers the company needs to take steps to improve labour relations and working conditions,” Jauch said.

The over 100 workers in 2015 were charged with violating several company regulations - participating in an unlawful strike, gross insubordination, absence from duty without authorisation, incitement and the organisation of an unlawful strike, assault, destruction of private property and interfering with a company investigation. Meanwhile this action by ESJT comes after Jauch, in strongly worded statement dated 17 May, said they cannot allow the mistreatment of workers. Jauch questioned why consumers continue to buy from Shoprite's stores while the company tramples on workers' rights and continues to exploit them.

He further stated that the reason why the unions representing Shoprite employees are not getting it right for Shoprite to comply with the Namibian laws is because they are divided.

“For the past four years, there were three different trade unions operating at Shoprite, none of whom represented an outright majority. Shoprite seized the opportunity provided by a divided labour movement to side-line the unions' altogether…. Shoprite has continuously violated workers' rights and used the rivalry between various trade unions to its own advantage,” Jauch argued.

Regarding exploitation of workers, Jauch explained that an average employee at Shoprite earns less than N$2 500 which he views as totally unacceptable coming from a company which last year declared that it made a profit of about N$130 billion of which N$50 million was diverted to then CEO, Whitey Basson as a bonus.

Meanwhile the Namibia Food and Allied Workers Union (Nafau) recently has come out strongly and called on Shoprite employees countrywide to join the union in order for their concerns to be heard and taken up.

When contacted, Shoprite Namibia's human resources officer Karen Smith indicated that she has no comment over the matter.

KENYA KAMBOWE