Pepsi Simba shop stewards in South Africa discuss national recognition, casualisation

During a training workshop March 17-19, held by IUF and its affiliate FAWU in Johannesburg, South Africa, shop stewards from Pepsico Simba factories and sales & distribution locations discussed their future cooperation as well as questions of national recognition and the extent of the use of labour brokers workers in SIMBA operations.

SIMBA has been acquired by Pepsico at the end of the 1990ies and produces snacks under SIMBA and Frito Lay brands in two factories in Johannesburg and Capetown, and distributes them all over South Africa. Union organisation in the company has a tradition reaching back into apartheid times.

A senior shop steward said “During this workshop we have come up with a strategic plan and we’ll work to realize it. If we do this step by step we’ll be able to realize those objectives we set ourselves.”

Shop stewards were also eager to link up to electronic resources to enable smooth communication between themselves and with colleagues worldwide for justice and decent work in all of the Pepsico system.

The workshop was the first to introduce the IUF nascent Pepsico workers network to Pepsico shopstewards in South Africa, and will give start to close cooperation over the next months and years for the sake of better organization and membership increase.

See some pictures from the workshop here: