News

Walmart workers, shop stewards and their union representatives from Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia came together with representatives from UNI Commerce and UNI affiliate, the UFCW (USA) in Johannesburg (South Africa) on 19 and 20 June 2012 to launch the UNI Africa Walmart Union Alliance.



Having witnessed Walmart’s arrival on the African continent with its acquisition of a majority shareholding in Massmart, participants voiced their strong concern about Walmart's destructive business model which is based on low wages, a devastating impact on its global supply chain and notorious union-busting practices.

Alliance members called on Walmart to recognise the fundamental labour rights set out in the ILO Core Conventions and to commit to signing a Global Agreement with UNI Global Union to ensure that Walmart employees all over the globe have a fair opportunity to fully exercise their rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

The UNI Africa Walmart Union Alliance committed to actively campaign to achieve a commitment to responsible conduct from the largest private employer in the world.

In order to achieve this, the UNI Africa Walmart Union Alliance will:

• Support organising efforts in Walmart workplaces by UNI affiliates, while seeking to initiate organising where needed.
• Exchange information about the company's conduct in Africa and coordinate joint action to hold Walmart accountable.
• Shine a spotlight wherever it seeks to expand in Africa on Walmart's poor track record. This will involve continuing engagement with workers, unions, the press, politicians, and with other stakeholders who may be affected by this expansion.
• Actively participate in the building of the UNI Walmart Global Union Alliance in order to maximise our coordination and mutual solidarity in the above efforts.