The decision by SABMiller’s South African subsidiary SAB to retrench 800 workers in South Africa in 2001 has come back to haunt it when 115 former employees from its Newlands plant in Cape Town took them to court.
The week-long trial is underway in the Cape Town Labour Court, with the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) fighting on behalf of the workers, contending that the dismissals were both unfair in substance and procedure.
Among the dismissed workers were three deaf and mute employees.
This follows plans set in motion in 1999 by the brewing giant to restructure its domestic business in accordance with its growth as a world-class manufacturer.
FAWU contended that SAB was clearly aware that such conduct would result in large-scale retrenchment.
SAB contended that it had done all everything required of it under the provisions recognition and collective bargaining agreements in conjunction with those of the Labour Relations Act.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalData
