By Norm Dixon
Workers throughout South Africa have embarked on, or are threatening to take, industrial action. COSATU says the current wave of workers' struggles results from several factors including: three years of no real wages increases for most workers leading to declining living standards; a widely-reported economic upturn from which workers want a share; and a new government coming to power which has encouraged workers to seek a better life.
The Pick 'n Pay dispute is the most significant of the wave of workers' struggles, however, it may soon be overshadowed by industrial action by the National Union of Metalworkers (NUMSA) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
On July 27 NUMSA's 26,000 members in the car industry began voting on whether to take strike action in support of a 15% wage claim. NUMSA is also demanding a 12% increase in the steel and engineering sector which employs 280,000. The employers have offered 9% and a final offer will be presented to NUMSA on August 1. Ten thousand metalworkers marched through Johannesburg on July 21.
The 385,000 NUM members are also considering strike action to win a 12% rise. Negotiations collapsed on July 21. The Chamber of Mines has offered 8.5% for gold miners, and 8.5-9% for coal miners. Anglo American has offered 7%. Talks with De Beers also collapsed on July 21 when it offered just 8.5%.
Other workers' struggles in recent weeks include:
- 5000 workers at South Africa Breweries are soon to vote on whether to strike for a 11.5% wage increase.
- 1000 court interpreters struck over discriminatory salary allowances. The strike paralysed South Africa's courts. Justice minister Dullah Omar expressed support for the workers and the interpreters sought the support of the South African Prisoners' Organisation for Human Rights. The strikers agreed to return to work on July 28 after Omar promised to meet their demands.
- Shunters in the PWV went on strike on July 21 and 22 for higher wages, severely disrupting the rail system.
- Musicians marched through Braamfontein on July 21 to recover outstanding royalties from record companies and to demand more airplay for local artists on radio and television.
- Thousands of striking building workers, members of the Construction and Allied Workers Union, held a protest in Cape Town on July 26 as part of a two-week campaign for higher pay. Construction work in the city has been severely disrupted. Police and strikers clashed on July 28. Workers armed themselves with clubs and pipes in response to the presence of heavily armed police.
- Thirty striking workers at the Cape Gas factory at Woodstock in Cape Town were arrested on July 26 when they occupied the premises after chasing out scabs.
- Thousands of workers of the Post and Telecommunication Workers Association took to the streets of Johannesburg on July 27 to protest what they called Telkom's inability to address workers' grievances. They gathered outside Telkom's Joubert Park offices to hand over a memorandum to management.