Only a miracle could now stop the industrial action planned against Massmart Holdings' Makro, Game and Dion stores, the SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu) said on Monday.

This followed the failure of management to make any acceptable offer in the current dispute, the union said in a statement.

"The industrial action will kick-off beginning on Friday 24 July with mass protest marches in various parts of the country," the union added.

It said that while it had tried to seek "an amicable solution" to the dispute, Massmart's management had displayed nothing but "intransigence" and had harassed its members.

"This intimidation by management and ongoing hostility towards the Saccawu members have not at all our derailed our preparations for this industrial action; in fact it has redoubled the determination of workers to ensure that all trading will come to a standstill at all Makro, Game and Dion outlets," the union said.

It added that it was satisfied with levels of mobilisation and readiness for such action amongst members.

According to Saccawu, the dispute against Makro concerned the failure to reach agreement over wages and other conditions of employment.

The union was also in dispute over three issues at Game and Dion stores.

These were unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, the failure by parties to reach agreement on amendments to the Relationship Agreement, and wages and conditions of employment.

"We are concerned about the subtle and systematic pattern of union bashing by Massmart subsidiaries including at Builders Warehouse, Browns Weirs Cash 'n Carry and Jumbo Cash 'n Carry," the union said.

It added that "such union-bashing mentality" found expression in unilateralism and the victimisation of shopstewards.

"This attitude by management while far from taking us towards resolving the dispute only worsens matters and is not in the interests of either party."

Saccawu said it had solicited the support of the Congress of SA Trade Unions as well as support from "other progressive formations".

Forms of the industrial action would include mass picketing and a mobilisation for the action to be followed by a "full-blown" strike, should the company refuse to accede to workers' demands.

Massmart spokesperson Brian Leroni told Sapa that the group had always practised freedom of association and that no intimidation had taken place.

In a subsequent statement. he added that Makro had been notified that Saccawu members would engage in a one-day protest on 24 July.

"This will include a union-led march to Durban City Hall and the company's service centre in Sunninghill, Johannesburg," Leroni said.

He noted that the action resulted from a wage dispute in terms of which Makro had tabled a final increase offer of R460 per month.

"This represents a 15.4 percent increase on the chain's minimum wage and a 9.6 percent increase on its average wage."

He said that anecdotal feedback from potentially affected stores appeared to indicate that the action was unlikely to be widely supported.

"Nevertheless, labour unrest contingency plans have been implemented and all Makro stores will trade as normal on the 24th."

He added that Makro employees received an average monthly wage of R4797.00, which was 79 percent higher than the industry minimum of R2682.75.

In addition permanent employees, who were also staff shareholders, received bi-annual share dividend payments as participants in the Thuthukani Staff Empowerment Trust.

"The average dividend payment per employee for 2008 was R2933.46 and for 2009 employees have already received on average a dividend of R2895.97 with a potential further dividend payable in October 2009." Leroni said permanent Makro staff shareholders held on average 1490 shares each in the Massmart Thuthukani Share Scheme, which if sold at current trading levels would equate to an average profit of R46 000 per staff shareholder.

"The company's perspective is that this action should be viewed in the context of the current widespread labour unrest in the economy," he added.

According to Leroni, Game had also been notified of the industrial action.

"Game has implemented labour unrest contingency plans and all stores will trade normally on the 24th," he said.

This action resulted from a dispute about a company decision to replace its existing clock card system with a thumbprint verification system the benefits of which include improved ability to control time keeping fraud, he explained.

"Saccawu has argued that the decision to implement this new technology, which is similar to that used at Saccawu's Johannesburg head office, constitutes an attempt to unilaterally change employment conditions at Game.

"The system was introduced 22 months ago in September 2007 and has been adopted by 15 305 employees including Saccawu members," Leroni said.

He added that a number of staff at five Game stores had refused to use the new system.

Sapa