First it was the doctors and then construction workers. Now, key sectors of the country’s economy, including mining, petroleum and chemicals, are bracing themselves for what could be the worst industrial action over wages since 2007.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers’ Union (Ceppwawu), the General Industries Workers’ Union of South Africa (Giwusa) and Solidarity said this week they would embark on massive strike action after wage negotiations with employers were deadlocked.
Action by Ceppwawu and Giwusa will see more than 100 000 workers down tools from Monday. NUM and Solidarity have given the Chamber of Mines until Tuesday to come to the table, failing which 200 000 workers will strike. Unions in all the dispute-hit industries are demanding double-digit increases.
Ceppwawu deputy general secretary Thabane Mdlalose warned that the strike action would result in a shortage of petrol throughout the country. In 2007 several major fuel refineries were forced to shut down after workers in the industry downed tools.
”In line with our theme for 2009 wage negotiations — ‘A Strong Workers’ Voice, Fighting for a Living Wage and Job Security to Advance Workers’ Rights’ — we are not going to betray the plight of workers on what we believe are justifiable demands for a living wage and job security,” Mdlalose said.
Industrial Chemicals’s chief negotiator, Jan Smith, confirmed that his organisation was issued with a strike notice but said the notice is ”confusing. I don’t know what they want to say”.
Solidarity spokesman Jaco Kleynhans said the union was considering strike notices in both the industrial chemical and mining sectors. ”Negotiations in the gold chamber have now reached an extremely critical point and next week there will be a decisive make-or-break session in the negotiation. Trade unions’ patience is wearing thin,” he said.
NUM general secretary Frans Baleni said the union would issue a strike notice on Tuesday if employers did not shift from their final offer of an 8.5% salary increase. The Chamber of Mines’s chief negotiator, Ellize Strydom, said the gold mining companies final offer represented a good balance between the sustainability of the companies and the demands of the unions.
Meanwhile, discussions over pay increases at the SABC were continuing with its three unions. A memorandum expressing their demands and a 12.2% pay increase was handed to acting chief executive Gab Mampone this week.
Hannes du Buisson, president of broadcast union Bemawu, said Mampone had made them an offer of about 9% on Tuesday, but the chair of the new SABC board, Irene Chandley, had later told them Mampone did not have the mandate to make the offer. The unions want 12.2%, which they say was promised to them.
Further strike action by doctors could be on the cards after an overwhelming majority of public sector doctors rejected government’s occupation-specific dispensation offer this week. According to a survey conducted by the South African Medical Association this week, 91% of its 2 484 doctors rejected the offer.
Additional reporting by Glynnis Underhill