[Cape Town, 15 December 2009] Sun International was today granted an interim interdict by the Labour Court to prevent SACCAWU and its members in the Western Cape from engaging in unlawful conduct during their protected strike action at GrandWest. This includes intimidation and assault. On 2 December, SACCAWU furnished 48 hours’ notice to embark on industrial action, including strike action, countrywide at Sun International properties, in relation to the wage dispute declared on 10 June 2009.
CE David Coutts-Trotter said the interdict had been applied for following ‘disgraceful’ behaviour on the part of SACCAWU members, who had breached the principles of peaceful picketing, issued death threats to both GrandWest management members and members of the SAPS, and had damaged property including that of the SAPS. A member of staff who elected not to participate in the strike was brutally assaulted by members of SACCAWU. Substantial photographic and video evidence was supplied to the court in support of the application.
Coutts-Trotter said that disappointingly, security footage showed that the shop stewards were in fact the cause of much of the unlawful conduct instead of attempting to prevent it.
“We are particularly disgusted at the serious physical attack on one of our employees who elected not to participate in the strike. She was brutally assaulted and after the attack was left badly beaten with injuries to her face and back. She has identified her attackers and they are all striking workers at GrandWest. The leader of the assault was a stand-in full time shop steward.
“SACCAWU not resolving the situation reported to them, despite assurances to the contrary, contributed significantly to the problem. We call on SACCAWU to get their leadership to act with restraint.”
In responding to a statement released by SACCAWU today, Sun International said that it had in no way intimidated striking workers and arrests made were by the SAPS following illegal action on the part of SACCAWU members.
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