LRM3701
ASSIGNMENT 3 PORTFOLIO 2024
UNIQUE NO. 183033
DUE DATE: 31 OCTOBER 2024
,Declaration of Individual Work
I hereby declare that this portfolio is my own work and that all sources used or quoted
have been properly indicated and acknowledged through complete references.
Signed at:
____________________ (location) on _________________________ (date).
Name in print
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
LRM3701 Portfolio
October-November 2024
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LRM3701
, 1. STRIKES
In this case, it seems there is a misunderstanding between the workers at Pick n Pay's
distribution center and the company itself regarding whether or not the workers actually
participated in a strike. Let’s look at the situation step by step to figure out if their actions
can truly be classified as a strike.
A strike, according to labor laws, is when employees stop working as a way to protest or
express their grievances to management, usually regarding issues like wages, working
conditions, or benefits. In South Africa, workers have the right to strike under certain
conditions, but during the COVID-19 lockdown, essential workers, like those involved in
food distribution, had limited rights to strike.
In this case, Pick n Pay workers were called to a meeting by their labor brokers. The
purpose of the meeting was to discuss an incentive agreement related to bonuses for
working during the lockdown. The workers, however, refused to sign the agreement
because they were not happy with the terms being offered (a R500 bonus at the end of
April and another R500 at the end of May). After the workers refused to sign, notices
were handed out informing them that food distribution was an essential service, which
meant that striking was illegal. Following that, the workers were warned to return to
work, but they didn’t comply, possibly because they felt that they were still in the middle
of the meeting, discussing the terms of the bonus agreement. The company, however,
interpreted their refusal to sign the agreement and return to work as a strike.
Now, the workers themselves insist that they were not striking at all. They claim they
were just attending a meeting called by the labor brokers to discuss the incentive offer.
From their perspective, they didn’t walk off the job or stop working as a protest. Instead,
they were simply participating in discussions about their work conditions. They also
mentioned that they were surprised when the police were called in and later when they
were handed dismissal letters, which makes it clear they didn’t intend for their actions to
be seen as a strike.
