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“Walmart thinks it’s over but nobody else does,” said UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings. “UNI and the South African unions are studying the argumentation closely and the SACCAWU decision to submit an appeal is more than justified.”



Unions around the world, including the South Africa Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) and the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) of North America, have joined together with UNI to form a global alliance to protect worker and union rights at the world’s biggest retailer.



Walmart executives have come to South Africa and last Sunday launched a massive publicity campaign for the deal with Massmart, which they claim will create jobs ad cut prices for consumers.



On Wednesday, the South African Competition Tribunal issued its reasoning behind its recent decision to approve Walmart’s purchase of 51 percent of local retailer Massmart. The report raised some red flags—including doubts the Tribunal has about Walmart’s support for collective bargaining and the company’s “chameleon” like behaviour on this issue—that justify the South African unions’ concerns. The report also said evidence from the Walmart star witness was also considered unreliable.



In a rousing speech at the meeting of South African trade union centre COSATU’s Central Committee on Wednesday, Jennings said that it was too early for Walmart’s victory parade and that this is a new era for South Africa.



“South Africa will make new rules of the game for world retail juggernaut Walmart,” Jennings said. He added that Walmart’s entry into the South African market cannot simply be left in the hands of judges. Along with appeals from the unions, he called on the South African Parliament to re-examine, in particular, local procurement rules.



After Jennings’s speech, COSATU unanimously supported a motion to begin planning steps for mass action.



The government is also giving high level consideration to next steps.



For its part, Walmart still thinks it’s business as usual. An executive said under questioning in a conference call with press yesterday that the company would only work with “efficient” suppliers.



“We all know what “efficient” means in Walmart parlance,” Jennings said. “The fact that Walmart thinks that this is all over has not been well-received nor has the company’s refusal to meet with UNI.”



UNI is supporting SACCAWU and COSATU as they prepare a legal appeal to the merger approval and encourage the Parliament and Government to also look into the deal.



COSATU is mobilising for action and next week unions representing Massmart workers across Africa will meet in Johannesburg.



UNI will continue working with all of its unions in the Walmart Alliance to fight for decent working conditions and trade union rights at all Walmart stores around the world.