Today Woolworths has distributed a letter from SACCAWU instructing striking employees to observe the picket rules. This letter was produced in accordance with an interdict granted to Woolworths against SACCAWU on Friday 11 October 2008 by the Labour Court. The Court also ordered SACCAWU to issue a press statement in two national newspapers instructing their members to observe the picketing rules. Woolworths is waiting for SACCAWU to do this. Trade continues normally at Woolworths. Negotiations to end the dispute continue. The onus is on the union to show that it has sufficient support, and at the last poll in 2007, less than 15% of our employees had joined the union; an even smaller minority of our employees (less than 5%) are currently picketing. “We are still deeply concerned with the increasing intimidation of our employees, the majority of whom have chosen to come to work during the current action, and deplore the intimidation to which they have been subjected”, says Zyda Rylands, Chief operating officer, Support services at Woolworths. Editor’s notes Interdicts In an effort to protect our customers, Woolworths sought and was granted an interdict by the Labour Court against SACCAWU on the 11th of October 2008, after the union was found to be in breach of the picketing rules that they agreed would govern industrial action launched against Woolworths. The union was also found to be in contempt of court, for breaching the original interdict.