More than two million workers supported Monday’s stayaway in protest against job losses, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) asserted.
It said this was a clear signal to government and employers that more should be done to create jobs and stop retrenchments.
”Well over two million workers supported the strike, with at least half a million participating in more than 20 marches countrywide,” the union federation said in a statement.
Cosatu said the large support confirmed that unemployment and job losses are workers’ biggest concerns, and highlighted the power of organised labour.
Various civil society organisations, including the SA Communist Party, the Communist Youth League, the ANC Youth League and the trade union Solidarity supported the strike against job losses.
The SA Chamber of Business (Sacob) said only 10% of workers took part in the strike, costing the South Africa economy an estimated R500-million.
Cosatu retorted that Sacob had tried to diminish the strike’s impact both to deny the strength of workers’ organisations and sway public opinion.
Employers’ organisations assessments of worker participation in the strike were based on ”ideological stances and anecdotes” rather than accurate surveys, Cosatu added.
The mass action affected car manufacturers, the mining, retail and clothing sectors.
A total of 86% of clothing and textile workers supported the strike, the Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union said. – Sapa