Contract and Cruelty: Wal-Mart and Labour Conditions in South Africa

This paper presents findings from research in six branches of a Wal-Mart owned food chain in Johannesburg, South Africa. Wal-Mart entered South Africa in a newsmaking majority share owner buy-out of South African listed Massmart, Holdings in 2012. This paper explores the results of research with shop floor workers. It details labour conditions and worker frustration with company and unions, alike. It examines worker politics in these stores as they struggle to combat the erosion of existing conditions, and as they struggle to be heard by their union. It discusses union efforts to support this workforce and to build an All-Africa Alliance of Wal-Mart workers. It grapples with the gap between worker experiences of precariousness in their jobs and union battles to confront this multinational on its home turf.