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High Court judge George Chimasula-Phiri Monday granted an injunction stopping a strike by about 300 Shoprite supermarkets staff nationwide who are demanding better working conditions.
Shoprite (Malawi) general manager Sven Eckoff said in an interview the workers’ action forced the closure of Shoprite supermarkets at Chichiri in Blantyre and in Lilongwe since Friday. He said Shoprite U-Save shops in Limbe, Blantyre, Zomba, Lilongwe and Mzuzu were also affected.
Chimasula-Phiri’s order followed an application by Shoprite Trading Malawi Limited lawyers Sidhu and Company who asked the court to stop the strike describing it as illegal.
The lawyers, who dragged to court employees Herbert Debwe, Richard Pambane, Bridget Chafuna and 287 others, also asked the court to stop the employees from interfering with operations of Shoprite and threatening management.
In his affidavit, lawyer Chris Makhambera, who was accompanied by Mandeep Sidhu, alleged that the workers took no step to comply with the law despite reminders since they went on strike on Friday.
Makhambera told the court that following their action, Shoprite has lost sales revenue and incurred losses because frozen foods went bad due to non-operation of generators.
He also said Shoprite has been subjected to ridicule in the eyes of the public besides losing future business from a sceptical public.
Chimasula-Phiri said he granted the order as prayed for by Shoprite lawyers.
In a telephone interview after the ruling, Eckoff said he could not indicate what action the company would take against employees who defy the court order because negotiations were still in process.
He also refused to give the estimated revenue loss saying calculations were yet to be worked out.
Shoprite staff went on strike on Friday demanding pay hike and the removal of their boss whom they accused of exploitation.
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