A dispute between the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (NUPSAW) and DIS-CHEM Pharmacies was referred to the CCMA in December 2017 for conciliation to try and resolve a dispute regarding the granting of organisational rights to the Union.

NUPSAW represents its members who are employees of DIS-CHEM.

DIS-CHEM refused to grant NUPSAW Organisational Rights in terms of section 21 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA).

The matter was not resolved and a certificate of non-resolution concerning Organisational Rights was issued by the Conciliating Commissioner, giving our members the right to strike after giving 7 days’ notice in terms of section 21 of the Labour Relations Act.

Strike action took place at the DIS-CHEM Warehouse in Midrand on 17 January 2018 after which another meeting at the CCMA for conciliation took place on 24 January 2018 where a settlement agreement was reached between NUPSAW and DIS-CHEM Pharmacies.

The parties agree as follows:

1) The Employer grants NUPSAW organisational rights, relating to stop-order facilities, provided the union membership amounts to not less than 1500 members.
2) To pay NUPSAW members their bonuses for 2017.
3) To pay NUPSAW members their salaries for January 2018 subject to the ‘no work no pay’ principle being applied.

1700 VERIFIED MEMBERS

We start the negotiations for Organisational Rights with 120 members in October 2017. In December our membership was sitting at 470. At the time of signing the agreement NUPSAW had signed-up 1700 DisChem employees as members, duly verified by the CCMA.

Says Solly Malema, National Organiser “Thank you to all NUPSAW members who were committed to fight for their rights – not only for themselves but for the betterment of all DIS-CHEM employees.”


For an interview / For more information:
Solly Malema,
NUPSAW National Organiser
Cell 082 323 2958

Issued by
Thariza Steyn, Media Officer, Cell 082 455 2215