The government has roundly welcomed the ruling on the Walmart/Massmart merger and appears unlikely, at present, to take the matter to court.

Three days of public hearings into the R16.5-billion takeover of Massmart by United States giant Walmart got underway at Parliament on Tuesday.

Saccawu might appeal against the Competition Tribunal’s approval of Walmart’s 51% acquisition of Massmart, it has said.

Retail union Saccawu said it will picket the offices of the competition watchdog, demanding it block Walmart’s plan to buy local chain Massmart.

Woolworths has granted organisational rights to the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union, the listed retailer said on Monday.

Woolworths and the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union have reached agreement to resolve an organisational dispute.

Negotiations have stalled between retail giant Woolworths and the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union.

The Labour Court has granted Woolworths an interdict after the South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union breached picketing rules.

Retail giant Woolworths said on Friday it was concerned about intimidation of those workers not taking part in an ongoing strike.

Hundreds of striking Woolworths employees stormed through a store in Johannesburg’s CBD on Thursday, police said.

Business Unity South Africa (Busa) will try to help resolve the dispute between Woolworths and Saccawu, the union said on Friday.

The Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration was reluctant to exercise its powers in its dispute with Woolworths, a union said.

The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union said on Saturday it was considering extending its strike at Woolworths next week.

It was business as usual at Woolworths on Thursday in spite of the week-long strike by Saccawu, the retailer claimed.

Listed retailer Woolworths maintains that the vast majority of its employees do not wish to belong to a union — but one union disagrees.

An estimated 25 000 striking Pick ‘n Pay workers will march on Friday in major cities countrywide, their union said.

Saccawu members will march in Durban on Friday against the alleged anti-union stance of Woolworths.

The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union will stage protests in four major cities against listed retailer Pick n Pay.

The South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers’ Union is going ahead with a protest march against Woolworths.

Wage talks at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration between Saccawu and retailer Pick n Pay have ended in deadlock.