29/08/2025
Publication: SWF
Author: SWF Team
On 28 August 2025, the Chep strike took on a global dimension. Workers and supporters went to protest outside the Australian High Commission in Pretoria.
The protest was against Brambles, the Australian parent company of pallet and container-making giant, Chep.
Workers at Chep-SA's Jet Park warehouse have been on a protected strike since 21 August. The Brambles subsidiary is breaking the law by refusing to make the workers permanent, even though they have been in the job for far longer than 3 months (in one case, 18 years).
The Brambles subsidiary company, Chep-SA, insists that the workers are the permanent employees of the labour broker, even though they already lost this case in court.
The workers proclaimed: "Brambles is a bloodsucker, mate" - because South African workers earn as little as R9000 per month while the Brambles CEO earns over R100 million a year.
Onto London, UK: Also on 28 August 2025, comrades from Chep and Simunye Workers Forum - SWF had a Zoom meeting with Unite the union from the UK. Unite the union organises Chep workers in the UK. In 2022, the Chep UK had a very long strike for about 3 months, winning a 9% pay increase and 3 days extra leave.
A few hours after the SWF and Unite the union meeting, some of the UK unionists held a protest outside the London office of Brambles, the owner of Chep. They brought a giant rat with them. Unions use giant inflatable rats, known as "Scabby the Rat," to draw public attention to labour disputes by symbolising a company that is exploiting workers.
More actions are planned.
Viva international solidarity, viva!
