Dining franchisor Famous Brands has taken disciplinary action against 27 workers allegedly caught on camera inciting violence while striking, it says.
"A total of 27 striking workers have been suspended pending their respective disciplinary hearings which will take place on Thursday November 4," CEO Kevin Hedderwick said in a statement.
"These are workers who were captured on CCTV cameras inciting violence whilst protesting outside of the group's main support office over the past week."
Hedderwick said a further 12 workers had not returned to their posts and had been provisionally dismissed with immediate effect.
All workers belonged to the Metal and Electrical Workers' Union of SA (Mewusa), which went on strike last Monday over the proposed implementation of a six-day rolling-week shift pattern.
According to Gauteng police, strikers allegedly threw stones at delivery trucks and buses as they arrived to pick up staff at the company's premises in Midrand last Wednesday afternoon.
Mewusa spokesman Mametlwe Sebei however said workers had "been maintaining a high level of discipline" during the strike and claimed the "provocateurs" were former employees.
Hedderwick said that as of Tuesday, most strikers had heeded a Labour Court ruling to return to work to avoid dismissal. The court granted an interdict on Friday forcing workers to stop their unlawful strike.
"It is anticipated that a degree of disruption will be experienced as workers return... but management is hopeful of returning to business as usual over the next few days," Hedderwick said.
Mewusa represents 30 percent of Famous Brands' Midrand workforce and 21 percent of its national workforce.
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