There were chaotic scenes at a Pick n Pay store in Cape Town on Wednesday afternoon as protesters stormed in, collecting Clover products off the shelves.
CAPE TOWN – There were chaotic scenes at the Pick n Pay store in Observatory on Wednesday afternoon as protesters stormed in, snatching Clover products off the shelves.
As they did so, they called on consumers to boycott the company’s products. Some pasted stickers stating “#BoycottClover, NationaliseCloverUnderWorkersControl, WorkersNeedWayBetter #StopMilkingWorkers” on the products.
Other flyers proclaimed “Stand in solidarity with striking workers and the people of Palestine” with words in bold declaring “Do not buy Clover products” pasted on the aisle and fridges next to Clover products.
Abeeda Adams, co-ordinator of the protest, said they were not against the store, but they were against Clover: “Unfortunately, the store sells Clover products.”
This as Clover employees on strike received support from the Media Review Network (MRN), saying it stood in solidarity with the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) and the General Industries Workers Unions of SA (Giwusa) “to gain justice for employees adversely affected” by the takeover of Clover by Israeli company Milco.
Clover has been hit by a strike since November, with workers protesting against wage cuts, retrenchments and corporate restructuring.
As part of the rolling mass action against Clover/Milco, civil organisations and trade unions stormed the Pick n Pay store in a bid to show solidarity with Clover workers who have called on consumers to boycott the company’s products.
Pick n Pay workers stood puzzled as management tried to quell the confusion, engaging with the protesters. Meanwhile, some were eager to fight with them.
Adams said they demand the unconditional reinstatement of retrenched workers, among other issues.
She said workers also demand the complete scrapping of austerity measures, including 20% salary cuts and the disinvestment of Milco.
On Monday, members of Fawu and Giwusa demonstrated outside the CCMA offices in Johannesburg and in Cape Town in solidarity with the workers.
