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The Congress of South African Trade Unions supports the South African Commercial Catering and Allied Workers Union members from Makro stores, who are on strike over salary wage negotiations. The demands of these workers are valid, and we call on the company to accede to these reasonable demands. They should work with the union to find an amicable solution to the current impasse. SACCAWU members demand the following:

• An across the board increase of R900.00 or 12% whichever is the greater 
• Minimum Wage R8000.00 
• An improvement of Commission from 10% on margin to 20% margin for Salesperson 
• Increase in Category 3 working hours from 160 to 195 per month 
• 13th Cheque to be made separate from the December salary 
• Uniform Allowance of R100.00 
• Moratorium on Retrenchments for the duration of the agreement

All these demands are reasonable and are in line with the escalating cost of living that has seen the price of everything going through the roof. The 14th National Congress of COSATU was clear that the only way to respond to such challenges is for workers to take forward their struggles, advance and defend their interests and aspirations, and fight to the bitter end for that which belongs to them.

SACCAWU is implementing the mandate of the COSATU 14th National Congress of pushing back against wage stagnation, retrenchments, and the appropriation of labour productivity gains by capital. The fortunes of the rich and the super-rich have soared, while social inequality has reached unprecedented levels because of the vast appropriation of wealth from the bottom to the top. Far from resolving the contradictions that have manifested themselves, capitalism has exacerbated the problem of poverty and inequality.

COSATU calls on Makro workers to unite and work together to push back against attempts to institutionalise poverty wages and for employers to treat them like glorified slaves. They need to defend their unity because if they do not support each other on the picket line, they will meet each other on the unemployment line. We call on all South Africans to support the strike by not crossing the picket line and withdrawing their buying power from Makro.

Issued by COSATU