Pick 'n Pay Strike

Dominic White

 
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Pick 'n Pay Strike

I walked over to Pick 'n Pay this afternoon to buy the Mail and Guardian. While standing at the till I heard some singing. Next thing the entire front of he store was filled with PnP exployees singing. The old favourite "I am a communist" was whipped out and I now have it stuck firmly in my head. "I am a communista, oh I am a commnista." I tried to ask one of the strikers what they were striking for to get an 'on the ground' take, but she had no idea what I was saying above the singing. On my way out I gave them a raised fist which was responded to with ululation and cheers. I was the token white guy :)

Page 14 of todays Mail and Guardian carried the story. 20 000 PnP workers belonging to the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Worwkers Union (SACCAWU) went on strike after a negotiating deadlock with PnP offering a 7,9% increase and the union demanding 12%. This was in light of PnP's recent profit growth (24% increase from 2004 to 2005). and the chief executive's raise of 19%. This is supposedly PnP's first strike in 10 years and in their defense they haven't retrenched anyone in 38 years.

I had a brief phone chat to one of the PnP IT staff and he said that the 7,9% is higher than his staff had recieved. He also mentioned that the strikes at the Constantia branch and Norwood had turned ugly. I also saw police racing to Hyde Park a few minutes after I left. That is a pity as it will reflect badly on all the strikers.

Friday, July 22. 2005
Posted by Dominic White in Politics
Comments (4) | Trackbacks (0)

Last modified on 2005-07-25 09:20
 

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#1 sheldon wrote (Link) (Reply)
Posted on Friday, July 22. 2005
I only know about the strike what was reported on the SABC news. So although I'm sure I understand the crux of the item there maybe details to the strike that I'm unaware of but I still think the behaviour displayed by the strikers is retarded! I get particularly grated when workers of essential services go on strike. Retarded! I too went to PnP for a pie for lunch but was met with closed doors and people jumping around, head full of what looked like blatant arrogance. I can't help but be convinced that there are better ways to negotiate such matters as these. So again, I think strikes like these are a display of retarded prehistoric behaviour. R-E-T-A-R-D-E-D !!!
 
#1.1 samantha (Reply)
Posted on Friday, August 12. 2005
the email you had sent shows such arrogance and stupidity.it is so sad that there are still people like you in world.one would want to eliminate people like you,they are not needed here in south africa.you have shown no compession for the workers of picknpay.you go there expecting to get good service by the same people you are critisizing,you are a fool.one should look at themselves before saying such blatant rubbish.would you work for someone who earned R12 million per annum and you peanuts.think!!!!!
 
#2 Singature-man (Reply)
Posted on Friday, July 22. 2005
What were they signing? An important document? Where can I get the Mail and Guardia? Is a commnista a telecommunications-equivalent of a fashionista? Maybe it's time you did a bit of proofing before you posted things. Your writing's getting sloppy, singe. PS Sheldon, PnP is not an essential service, and try to show some empathy with these people. Striking is a last-resort measure, and in this case I believe that a limited demonstrative strike was justified. You can argue that it was not justified, but you cannot argue that it's bad because *you* were inconvenienced!
 
#2.1 Dominic White wrote (Link) (Reply)
Posted on Friday, July 22. 2005
Thanks Yusuf, your refusal to comment as yourself is always an obvious pointer. Thanks for the two spelling errors, 'communista' is a deliberate phonetic misspelling.
 

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