South African workers strike

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) has 
warned employers in the fuel and motor retail industry that any 
further resistance to its demands for 10-12 per cent wage 
increases will spark a "potentially more destructive" nation-wide 
strike than the mild one conducted last week.

The union last week gave the employers' two organisations, 
representing the two industries, a week to respond favourably or 
else.

In a memorandum presented by hundreds of union members, mostly 
petrol attendants, to the representatives of the Fuel Retailers 
Association (FRA) and Retail Motor Industry (RMI) NUMSA said the 
organisations' "no wage offer" stance will seriously contribute 
to workers' misery and grinding poverty.

Union leader Mtutuzeli Tom said the behaviour of the employers 
was parochial and insensitive to the collective bargaining 
arrangements made recently. "The employers' organisations have 
failed to discharge duties in a responsible manner to ensure fair 
and proper bargaining practices. We believe that the current 
reasoning of the FRA and RMI on wage demands is completely 
flawed, ineffective, mendacious and highly artificial."

He added that the employers' response to its demand was 
"disgusting and stinking". 

"Wages in the industry are a national disgrace. The minimum wages 
applied in the industry have not been a useful anti-poverty tool 
but solidly reinforce poverty and under-consumption in the 
industry."

"It is amazing that workers in the industry are still paid 
apartheid wages based on the area where they are working, not on 
the work they are performing."

NUMSA said recently that other demands tabled by the union 
include an increase of 20 percent on night shift allowance and 10 
percent on the afternoon shift. The union is also demanding that 
employers organise free transportation for all workers knocking 
off after 4am.