Protest: Workers shut down Shoprite

The Shoprite workers under the aegis of the National Union of Shop and Distributive Employees (NUSDE), on Friday embarked on another round of protest, shutting down the company located at Ring road, Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

Penpushing reports that the protesters who announced indefinite closure of the company declared that the company would remain shut until management acceded to their demands which include: better conditions of service and payoff whenever the company decides to change its ownership.

The Chairperson of branch, Williams Peter, while speaking posited that  the union was using the Easter period to press home its demands since dialogue had failed, adding that  all Shoprite stores had been shut down nationwide because the negotiation between the union and the management had been deadlocked.

Penpushing further reports that the branch boss attributed the indefinite strike to the alleged refusal of the management to meet up with the demands of the union, stressing that  the planned transfer of Shoprite to a new owner had been withheld for now.

The Chairperson  explained that the workers  see this Easter period as the right time to get management to listen to them and accede to their demands, stressing that if the management refusal method continues, they would not allow activities to go on in the company, and have no other option than to engage new management to establish agreement with them.

“However, if the management is not ready to listen to us, it then means that Shoprite is not ready to open this April. We will shut the company down until they listen to us.Give us what we want and we will then be ready to discuss with the new investors and have a new agreement with them,” he said.

Penpushing reports that the management of the company in reacting to the development in a memo issued by Divisional Human Resources Manager, Adeola Kagho, described the industrial action embarked upon by the workers as ‘unlawful.’

The management declared that appropriate action may be taken against the striking workers, adding that this might include their summary dismissal, if they fail to return to work, emphasizing that their conduct was a breach of contract.

“Please note that your conduct is in breach of your contract of employment, company rules and procedures and the applicable federal legislation. The company is not prepared to tolerate your participation in any unlawful industrial action’, Kagho declared.

“The company is now considering appropriate action to be taken against you and this may include your summary dismissal, should you disregard the instruction/ultimatum hereunder.You are accordingly instructed to return to work immediately in an orderly and diligent manner,” the memo emphasised.

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