Members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), who downed tools at a 2010 World Cup soccer stadium in Mpumalanga, were back at work on Wednesday afternoon.
”The Mbombela Stadium joint venture, stadium contractors and union representatives met on Wednesday and resolved the labour dispute that developed earlier this morning,” said Desmond Golding, provincial deputy director general of the World Cup 2010 project.
This comes after construction workers at the Nelspruit 2010 Soccer World Cup stadium went on strike over wages and bonuses on Wednesday morning.
On Wednesday afternoon Golding said the parties concerned would hold another meeting next Wednesday. Following the meeting, workers were back at work at 1.30pm.
”We are confident that between today [Wednesday] and next Wednesday there will be no further disruptions at Mbombela Stadium and we commend both parties for the spirit in which the dispute was handled,” said Golding.
Provincial NUM coordinator Onismus Serothwane confirmed that the union as well as Basil Read construction would hold a meeting on Wednesday.
”The meeting will discuss demands of workers who want a R2 000 Christmas bonus as well as a monthly R900 transport allowance. They also want to be afforded the opportunity of electing a health and safety representative,” he said.
About 500 workers downed tools at the stadium in a secondary strike.
Originally workers were to down tools in support of workers at Durban’s Moses Mabhida stadium but the strike at the stadium was resolved and workers were back at work on Tuesday. This followed a two-week strike over project bonuses and a demand that subcontractors meet minimum wage requirements for civil engineering. — Sapa