Chapter Two

Overview of industrial action, 2008

Chapter 2 looks at incidents22 of industrial actions as reported by the media chronologicallyfrom January-December 2008. These are incidents picked up in the newspapers, SouthAfrican Broadcasting Corporation and reports from unions. Researchers and studentsfocusing on industrial relation issues in South Africa have always found this kind of reportingvery useful to their work and studies.

January 2008

● On 7 January 2008, about 140 workers at a Brick manufacturing company in Zebedielaoutside Polokwane downed tools after accusing the management of not increasing theirsalaries for the past five years. Workers stopped work when management allegedlyrefused to enter into salary negotiations with the South African Transport and AlliedWorkers Union, which had been trying in vain to convince the company’s management toheed the workers’ call. It was also reported by SATAWU that the company was exploitingits workers by forcing them to work extra hours without being remunerated. Other issuesof concern were safety related since workers used their own clothes and werecompensated for injuries sustained in the line of work

● On 16 January 2008, Soweto taxi drivers went on strike. The drivers, who belonged tothe biggest association in Soweto (Soweto Taxi Service), left thousands of commuterswithout transport on 15 January 2008. They went on strike, demanding that theirbosses reduce the number of taxis on each route they were servicing. They said therewere too many taxis, which made it difficult for them to make the day’s taking ofR300.00 required by their bosses. It was alleged that some of the drivers were able tomake only about R100.00 a day

● On 19 January 2008, COSATU members in the Western Cape staged a lunch-hourprotest against the price of bread outside Parliament. It was reported that the protestinvolved handing over a memorandum to government representatives from the Premier’sOffice and the Department of Trade and Industry. The bread price rose sharply again onthe week starting 7 January 2008, by between 35 and 40 cents a loaf

● On 21 January 2008, more than 100 workers embarked on a strike at a Brickmanufacturing company at Hartswater in the Northern Cape as reported by NUM. Over100 workers downed tools at Magogong Steengroef to protest against their employer’srefusal to budge on a 15.0% wage increase

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2 It should be emphasised that the chronological list of incidents of industrial actions in Chapter 2 should not be confused with thequantitative statistics in Chapters 3 and 4. Chapter 2 includes incidents that might have been pre-arranged between managementand workers like cases related to the mourning of the death of a miner that affected mostly gold mines in 2008. This Chapter alsoincludes protest actions and pickets during lunch hours and after hours. It also includes protests by workers who are on leave. In allthese cases, employers are not expected to submit completed LRA 9.2 forms, since there can only be a recognised industrialaction during office hours and by workers who are expected to be at work. Hence, these cases would not form part of Chapter 2.The consent of employers on whether an incident is a strike or not is always important to consider before we sent a form to theemployer affected to complete. Chapters 3 and 4 deal specifically with those strikes where forms were completed and sent to theDepartment for capturing. Some industrial actions do not come to the knowledge of the Department’s officials; however, sinceemployers are expected to complete the LRA 9.2 Form after been affected by a strike, some employers do complete LRA 9.2 Formand sent it to the Department for capturing even without the knowledge of the officials. This implies that this kind of a strike will notbe recorded in Chapter 2 since it was not identified by departmental officials.

● On 21 January 2008, Willard Batteries in Korsten, Eastern Cape locked their 300 strikingworkers out of its battery manufacturing plant. Workers were angry that Willard hasrefused to sign a wage deal giving worker’s 9.0% wage increase but has brought its owndemands which include the phasing out of the housing subsidy

● On 23 January 2008, more than 1 000 Teba workers downed tools in protest overstalled wage talks. NUM reported that workers demanded a 9.0% wage increase, whileTeba offered 5.0%. Furthermore, about 50 administrative workers from the EasternCape, Gauteng, North-West and Mpumalanga also picketed outside Teba’s Johannesburgoffices. The strike came after workers and management reached a deadlock during wagenegotiations. The workers demanded a 8.5% wage increase, rejecting their employer’s7.25% offer

● On 27 January 2008, Shaft Sinkers workers staged protests at Aquarius’ plans to sell itscontract mining subsidiary to JIC Mining

● On 31 January 2008, the South African Municipal Workers’ Union embarked on a protestaction against Cape Town Council’s restructuring process. SAMWU reported thatmembers were striking because the city “has made the employment relationshipintolerable through its unilateral restructuring process. About 100 SAMWU membersmarched to protest against what they said was the city’s dictatorial approach. Theiractions stemmed from a dispute with the City of Cape Town with regard to theorganizational realignment of staff. They also indicated that they were protesting to fightfor service delivery in their communities.

This month accounted for 8 disputes.

February 2008

● On 1 February 2008, members of the South African Equity Workers’ Union began aprotected national strike. They also marched to the Electrical Contractors’ Association tohand over a memorandum of their demands

● On 6 February 2008, road workers at Schoemansdal near the Swaziland border inMpumalanga held a protest because they felt they were doing little work since they wereworking fewer hours. It was reported by workers that they had only worked five days inthe past three weeks. The foreman indicated that the workers would be paid for thedays they were turned away. It is a protest by workers who were not supposed to be atwork on that day

● On 8 February 2008, the Chairperson of SAMWU, Eastern Cape, led a mass protestagainst the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and he was subsequently dismissed

● On 10 February 2008, municipal life guards in Durban went on strike. The strike was overweekend allowances, overtime and differing working hours. It was reported that lifeguards in northern areas such as Tongaat and Umhlanga worked different hourscompared to those in Amazimtoti. And life guards working in central Durban worked thelongest hours, some up to six days a week

● About 200 workers of Mister Crusty Bakery were locked out of the company’s premiseson 11 February 2008. It was not clear why they were locked out, but there werespeculations that the bakery was closing. In the meantime, workers protested outside

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the bakery at Ellispark

● On 12 February 2008, construction workers at the Mbombela 2010 World Cup Stadiumin Mpumalanga downed tools following another dispute over wages. Work at the stadiumcame to a halt again after a fresh wage dispute surfaced between the employer and theworkers. The strike started when construction workers affiliated to NUM demanded toknow why only Mpumalanga 2010 construction workers were classified under buildingconstruction while their counterparts in other provinces fell under civil engineering. It wasreported that as a result of this classification, Mpumalanga construction workers werebeing paid R10 an hour while their counterparts in other provinces were getting R19 anhour

● On 14 February 2008, hundreds of workers at the Lonmin Platinum Mine’s Limpopodivision downed tools in protest against the dismissal of 14 workers and an alleged unfairlabour practice and wage equalisation. According to NUM, the dismissal of the14 workers was unfair

● Workers of a KwaZulu-Natal ferromanganese smelter protested on 25 February 2008. Itis believed the protest was linked to the blast on 24 February 2008 which left fiveworkers dead, with others taken to hospitals. A small group of workers staged a protestoutside the Cato Ridge Country Club where a labour inquiry into workers’ exposure topoisonous fumes was due to begin. A large group of workers was seen gathering at theAssmang Plant itself, about 10km from the country club

● At the end of February 2008, workers of Gallo records went on strike due tounsatisfactory working conditions.

This month recorded 9 labour disputes.

March 2008

● On 6 March 2008, striking members of the South African Municipal Workers Union at theNelson Mandela Bay Metro in PE occupied the partly built Nelson Mandela 2010 stadium.The union reported that about 1 000 SAMWU members occupied the stadium in a bid toforce the council to meet its demands. SAMWU further said that there was only onepermanent staff member at each clinic in the metro. All other nurses and clinic staff wereon month-to-month contracts. The union demanded the council to withdraw itsrecruitment policy, that it reinstate its provincial chairperson and that the council addressthe health crisis

● On 7 March 2008, all 150 workers at the Lenasia Depot of City Power downed tools andheld a very big picket against the Electrical Team Leader, who was reported to regularlyuse racist abusive words against workers. The workers were demanding that the teamleader be removed immediately. Management had said they wanted to investigate theunion’s allegations. SAMWU had rejected this and demanded that the team leader beremoved immediately and that the investigation can continue after his removal

● Nurses at Dora Nginza hospital in Port Elizabeth disrupted services on 9 March 2008when they left patients unattended and refused to work while engaging in protest action.The protest by the Port Elizabeth intensive care unit and high care staff was about theirunhappiness over an agreement reached by unions and the Department of Public Serviceand Administration during the Public Service strike in June 2007. According to this

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agreement, nurses were to be given salary increases in terms of specific grades.NEHAWU reported that the agreements reached had still not been implemented

● On 10 March 2008, union members, who make up 39.0% of Medscheme’s workforce,embarked on a national strike and started pickets outside the company’s offices. Wagetalks started in November 2007 and deadlocked in January 2008 when the union andMedscheme could not reach a settlement. NEHAWU had demanded a 15.0% increasewhile the company’s offer was 5.0%. Other demands included a 12.9% increase in themedical aid subsidy, 70.0% housing subsidy, a skills development plan and employmentequity. It was reported that the strike involved members in Gauteng, Eastern Cape andKwaZulu-Natal

● The closure of municipal plant nurseries in Cape Town led to a dispute which resulted in abrief lunch-hour sit-in at the civic centre on 10 March 2008. Bellville nursery workersconverged on the centre after they were apparently “locked out” when they reported forduty

● About 100 University of the Free State workers picketed over the lack of transformationat the institution outside the Bloemfontein campus’ main buildings on 12 March 2008.NEHAWU and SATAWU members were also protesting against university management.The organiser said permission was granted for a two-hour protest

● Security guards employed by the National Force Security company contracted to MetroRail went on strike on 19 March 2008 to demand their salaries, leaving some trains insome parts of Gauteng without security. The guards reported that they were not paidtheir March salaries. They further reported that they were usually paid on the 15th ofevery month. They marched to the company’s offices in Langlaagte, Johannesburg

● Teachers of the Rivubye High School in Makhado went on strike just before the EasterHolidays leading to pupils going on holiday three days early. This came after parentsaccused the Principal of using corporal punishment. Parents demanded that he resigns

● About 200 Northern Cape workers protested for wage increments outside the GoldenFalls mine on 26 March 2008. It was reported that workers downed tools demanding thatthe employer deliver on the 2007/08 wage demands of a 15.0% increment across theboard and an immediate engagement on the 2008/09 wages. Workers were alsodemanding a one-month salary annual bonus, R100 meal allowance a month for allnon-management workers and 18 working days leave

● On 28 March 2008, more than 500 workers of Lesedi local municipality who aremembers of SAMWU in Heidelberg, Ekurhuleni embarked on a strike. This comes after anunfair unilateral adjustment of salaries of three workers in July 2007. Three workers weregiven high salary increases which were unfair to other workers because the rest of theworkers were not considered.

This month registered 10 labour disputes.

April 2008

● On 1 April 2008, angry members of DENOSA protested during lunch and handed amemorandum to the Limpopo Department of Health and Social Development. DENOSAwas demanding that the government provide stronger security at hospitals

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● Metrorail security guards in Durban went on strike on 2 April 2008. Workers contractedfrom six security companies took to the streets demanding better working conditions. Itwas feared that the strike might affect the safety and security of commuters on trains.The guards said they were promised fixed term contracts, to work as protection officersand Metrorail was reneging on that promise

● NUM reported that workers marched at De Beers’ Cullinan Diamond mine after hours on3 April 2008 to demand improved health and safety measures and benefits. NUM furtherreported that despite the Cullinan mine having exceeded its financial target, it still didnot want to give workers any profit sharing

● On 3 April 2008, NUM reported that about 500 workers at the Mbombela Stadium inNelspruit went on strike for better pay. It was further reported that workers were beingpaid builders’ rates and not engineering rates, which the union was demanding. The strikewas unprotected. This was the fourth strike at the stadium in the past few months.Workers wanted to be paid according to civil engineering industry rates

● A group of several hundred members of the South African Municipal Workers Union atthe Knysna municipality in the Southern Cape picketed outside the local authority on8 April 2008. It was reported that the workers were unhappy over the suspension ofSAMWU members. The union alleged that the municipality had also been boycottinglabour forums

● Workers of the Soweto Old Age Home in White City Soweto decided to demonstrateduring lunch against their working conditions on April 2008 and this resulted in chaos.The workers held up placards stating a number of concerns, including mismanagement offunds, discrimination and poor salaries. They were also demanding that the Manager stepdown from his position. The picketing workers included nurses, caregivers, gardeners,cleaners and social workers. The angry workers said they decided to demonstratebecause no one ever pays attention to their complaints

● Municipal workers took to the streets of Modimolle on 9 April 2008 against what theycalled “hazardous” working conditions. SAMWU said there was “deliberate negligence” bymunicipalities in applying safety laws and workers were dying as a result. The unionfurther reported that many workers worked without safety clothes and equipment. Theunion demanded that the matter be placed in the local labour forums for a resolution.Another grievance was the issue of privatisation of municipal services

● Hundreds of Eastern Cape nurses abandoned their posts at hospitals and clinics in theprovince on 11 April 2008 to march against Bhisho’s delay in implementing new salarystructures. DENOSA reported that nurses were unhappy because the Health Departmenthad failed to meet its March 31 deadline. It was reported that the march was primarily aresult of the incorrect and delayed implementation of the Occupation SpecificDispensation agreed to in 2007. Also at the top of the list of the nurses’ grievances issafety and security, especially in hospitals that care for tuberculosis (TB) patients as itwas reported in some hospitals that nurses were particularly exposed to the disease. Thenurses further demanded that all people in the province should have access to ARVs.Other grievances were the state of nursing education and training, and gross staffshortages

● On 13 April 2008, COSATU and SACP members staged a march in Polokwane, Limpopoagainst escalating food prices and the electricity crisis. The memorandum was handed tothe Safety and Security Department. Other issues included the reopening of an inquest

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into the death of Chris Hani

● About 5 000 school kids who rely on bus transport to school were left stranded on14 April 2008. This happened after bus operators froze their service and demanded anincrease in fees. The bus operators said fuel has gone up so much over the years that ithas become very expensive to transport the pupils

● Hardly a week into the second term of 2008, schooling in Alexandra grounded to a halt.This was because teachers in the 40 schools in the township embarked on an indefinitestrike on 17 April 2008 in solidarity with 28 of their colleagues who had beensuspended. The Department of Education in Gauteng also confirmed on 17 April 2008that the teachers from KwaBhekilanga High School had been suspended on charges ofneglecting their duties. Problems at the school started on 14 April 2008, when teachersreturning for the second term were confronted by pupils and parents who barred themfrom entering the premises. Teachers were accused of incompetence, bunking classes,having sexual relationships with pupils and coming to school while under the influence ofalcohol. This prompted the Education Department to suspend the 28 teachers

● About 500 union members took to the streets of Johannesburg on 17 April 2008 toprotest against the rising price of food, fuel and electricity. The march which started justafter 13:00 was organised jointly by Cosatu and the SACP against high food prices andthe ongoing electricity blackouts. Cosatu and the SACP demanded that ESKOM withdrawits demand for a 53.0% electricity price increase. The march took place aftershopstewards had just wrapped up a four-hour provincial council, which was intended tomobilise the workers to attend May Day events

● On 17 April 2008, about 28 striking teachers at Roseland Primary School in NewlandsEast, Durban went on strike in protest against installation of CCTV cameras in theirclassrooms. The teachers were given an ultimatum to go back to classes or had theirsalaries docked. The teachers had been on strike for a week. The teachers accused theprincipal of installing the cameras to spy on them

● COSATU held lunch-hour demonstrations against soaring food prices in Polokwane,Limpopo on 24 April 2008. COSATU reported that their members marched to the Pickand Pay offices, where they handed over a memorandum to the management

● Afro-Pop music group openly defied their boss when they refused to go on stage for ascheduled performance on 27 April 2008. Ashaan was booked to perform at Taliban, inGaRankuwa outside Pretoria, alongside Afro-Pop singer Kelly Khumalo and Mr Staff. ButAshaan members embarrassed their boss when they did not appear on stage becausethey wanted to be paid more. Management indicated that it was not a strike but amisunderstanding.

This month accounted for 15 labour disputes.

May 2008

● Hundreds of municipal workers belonging to SAMWU took to the streets on 5 May 2008and handed over a memorandum outlining their grievances and demands. City municipalworkers had demanded that the Tshwane Metro Council cancel all contracts withcompanies contracted to supply municipal services. The union accused privatecontractors of getting a lot of money from the council, but underpaying their workers. It

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singled out service providers Milnex, Quatrokor, ZF and Capacity, saying they paidworkers as little as R67 a day. SAMWU said they had raised these concerns with thecouncil before, but had been ignored. In a memorandum, SAMWU also demanded that thecouncil’s alternative service delivery (ASD) process be stopped immediately; saying it hadnot benefited the working force, particularly Black workers. The council introduced ASD inan effort to improve service delivery by creating five regions and appointing heads tomanage services in those regions. The council had hoped the process would result in the“migration of workers to posts that best suit their qualifications and skills”

● On 6 May 2008, construction workers at the new Peter Mokaba sports complex inPolokwane embarked on a strike. The strike was called after a salary negotiationsdeadlock. The workers and their employer reached a settlement at the CCMA overback-payment of an 8.0% increase

● SAMWU reported that its members held a lunch-hour protest march in Groblersdal on9 May 2008 over rising food prices and poor service delivery in the Sekhukhune DistrictMunicipality. The union also protested against outsourcing and the privatisation ofmunicipal functions and services, as well as alleged nepotism in making municipalappointments

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● On 12 May 2008, Remant Alton bus workers in Durban embarked on a strike. The DurbanChamber of Commerce and Industry reported that the strike had a negative effect onbusiness. The workers wanted an R800.00 across the board wage increment and theywanted it backdated to 2004

● On 13 May 2008, workers at Spif Chicken Farm in Mookgophong, Limpopo embarked ona strike. Poultry farm workers said they were getting paid chicken feed and were strikingfor more pay. Workers wanted a 15.0% wage increase from R990,00 per month toR1 138.50, and management was offering a 9.0% increase which would be R1 079.10

● The strike at Harmony Gold Mining’s Virginia mine came to an end on 14 May 2008 afterworkers refused to go underground because of excessive heat. Almost 1 000 workers atone of the mine’s shafts had protested as reported by NUM

● There was a poor turnout on 18 May 2008 in Cosatu’s national protest action againstrising food prices and the precarious political situation in Zimbabwe

● On 20 May 2008, police reservists marched in Tshwane for the second time this year, tohand over a list of their grievances to government. The first memorandum was handedover in February 2008. Spokesperson for the reservists said the reservists wantedunconditional integration into the police and need permanent employment, among othergrievances. This was a march by reservists that were off-duty

● About 1 500 mineworkers, including members of NUM, held a protest march at Simmerand Jack mining operations at Stilfontein in North-West on 27 May 2008. Among othergrievances, workers wanted the mine management to provide funds for medical care ofits workers after retirement. They contended that many workers were exposed todangerous mine dust, such as silicosis, which, in the long term causes lung infections. Ina memorandum handed to management, they claimed ill-treatment of workers by thecompany’s failure to comply with certain labour regulations. They claimed that workerswere declared medically unfit, as an excuse to terminate their employment

● On 27 May 2008, SAMWU launched its strike against the Ekurhuleni municipality outsidethe Germiston Civic Centre. Workers were angry about work contracts, pay grades andthe supposed preferential treatment of Ekurhuleni Metro Police Chief. It was reportedthat resentment had been building over the use of short-term contracts in KemptonPark. The union had demanded that workers at Tembisa Waste Management beintegrated into the rest of the municipal workforce as permanent staff members fromJuly 2008. Some workers said they demanded to be paid Grade 16 wages, the same ascouncillors. Many workers were also angry over the privatisation of meter-based waterservices. The union also indicated that the special treatment of the Chief of Police is alsoa cause of discontent in the union. The strikers’ demands included:

- That part-time workers be employed permanently- That a commission of enquiry against Ekurhuleni Metro Police Chief be brought

back- That their salaries be increased by 40%- Disagreements with job evaluations - Improved allowances

● On 28 May 2008, Aquarius Platinum’s workers at its Everest mine in South Africadowned tools in an illegal strike. Aquarius reported that 42 machine operating workers at

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Everest launched the strike. They were joined in the workstoppage by 1 300underground workers on 29 May 2008. It was reported that workers at Everest mine hadonly recently been employed by Aquarius and many of the labour relations tacticsemployed stemmed from a lack of experience in collective bargaining and the previouscontractor/ worker relationship

● On 28 May 2008, about 150 members of SAMWU staged a sit-in at the municipal officesof Blouberg Municipality in Limpopo. They accused the municipality of an unfair labourpractice after it failed to comply with an instruction from the South African LocalGovernment Association Bargaining Council to implement salary adjustments with effectfrom January 2008

● Underground production at midtier gold producer DRDGold’s Blyvooruitcht mine, nearCarletonville, was brought to a standstill on 29 May 2008, after 3 300 workers downedtools. NUM reported that workers had embarked on an illegal strike after a managementdispute was aggravated by the police arresting two mineworkers in connection with amurder that had occurred late in 2007. The problems, however, began when a minesupervisor resigned, and on 27 May 2008 workers learned that someone, who “had abad reputation with workers”, had replaced him. The illegal strike is believed to be relatedto the arrest of two workers by the South African Police Service in connection with thedeath of one man, and the assault of a second, neither of whom were workers duringDecember 2007

● An estimated 1 500 municipal workers marched through the centre of Pietermaritzburgon 30 May 2008 to demand among other issues, an end to privatisation of bus servicesand an increased wage package. A memorandum was handed over to the citymanagement. SAMWU were demanding that the municipality bring an end to outsourcingand privatization. The union also demanded that vacant posts be filled as well as “an endto the nationwide bashing of our union leadership”

● About 200 SAMWU members in Kou-Kamma in the Eastern Cape have been on and offstrike in May 2008. The whole municipality was supporting SAMWU and insisted that theMayor and Municipal Manager step down. The strike began over rampant corruption andnepotism in the municipality. Qualified local workers were not shortlisted for key postsand instead managers were hired from far flung towns and cities. Service delivery is alsonon-existent in the area.

This month recorded 15 disputes.

June 2008

● Chaos erupted at the University of Fort Hare on 4 June 2008 when striking unionmembers disrupted mid-year examinations and clashed with students. The NEHAWUmembers had made a number of demands to the management which, they claimed wereignored. Chief among them was the abolition of the institution’s new cost-to-companysalary package system, which they said was riddled with discrepancies. They alsodemanded the full-time employment of all workers on contracts for more than two years,both non-academic and academic. Other grievances and demands included:

- An increase of R1 000 in housing subsidies for all workers when they bought houses

- The contract with the university’s lawyers to be terminated immediately

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- The alleged harassment of workers in different faculties to be stopped

● On 5 June 2008, about 1 000 members of the South African National Defence Unionmarched to the Union Buildings to demand the resignation of the Defence Minister. It wasreported that the soldiers were demanding a 19.0% salary increment, instead of the2008’s 10.5% increase. They claimed that it would be inadequate to “address economichardships of soldiers and their families”. They also demanded overtime payments andsalaries equivalent to the police, amongst other grievances. They complained that asmilitary personnel, they were expected to be available for duty 24 hours a day, yet theydo not have resources such as money for transport. Another grievance stated, the union“refuses to pay for the Eskom blunders (in reference to the huge tariff increase). Theysaid the march was because SANDF members were unhappy with the treatment theyreceive. They cite exploitation, discrimination, a lack of job security and few prospectsfor promotion as well as “arrogant, self-serving and corrupt management”

● On 5 June 2008, municipal workers, mostly members of SAMWU protested at themunicipal offices at Makhado in Limpopo against the return of the suspended municipalmanager. The municipal manager was suspended in May 2008 amid allegations thattenders had been awarded irregularly. The workers embarked on the protest afterdiscovering that the manager was back at work

● A group of about 1 300 workers staged a sit-in strike 1 100 metres below the surface,at the Gold Fields Beatrix mine outside Welkom trapping 100 non-striking mine officialsunderground for over 28 hours. The mine reported that it lost two shifts at its numberfour shaft, following “illegal industrial action”. The workers were demanding that theirshifts be shortened from seven-and-a-half to five hours, as well as the reinstatement ofnine workers dismissed for previous offences up to five years ago. They also wanted theappointment of two additional shaft stewards

● A shrewd boss used a bomb to scare workers out of his factory without paying them.The next day workers were informed that XPress Net had been placed under provisionalliquidation on June 3. The workers had been protesting outside XPress Net demandingtheir pay and personal belongings, which include identity documents from their lockers inthe building

● On 11 June 2008, workers at the Gerardo Trading Company in Industria, Johannesburgdemonstrated outside the company’s gates after being fired for refusing to sign newcontracts with an outside broker. The 41 workers, all members of the South AfricanChemical Workers Union (Sacwu), were dismissed on June 2

● On 12 June 2008, construction workers at the Peter Mokaba complex in Polokwanedowned tools. They were demanding their outstanding December 2007 bonuses. Theworkers accused the construction company WBHO of not paying them a monthly bonusof R1 500. They said management unilaterally took a decision that they would be paidbonuses when the stadium has been completed in November 2009

● South African activists, workers (off-duty) and neighbours of ArcelorMittal’s plant inVanderbijilpark joined their colleagues around the world in protests against theinternational steel maker’s shoddy environmental record. The protestors claimed thatMittal was forcing out residents of properties in areas the company had polluted

● On 20 June 2008, more than 2 000 workers at the Mbombela 2010 World SoccerStadium in Nelspruit picketed outside the premises of the stadium. They were demanding

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a night shift allowance, bonuses and better working conditions. The hourly-rate paidworkers at the Mbombela stadium joint-venture (JV) construction site in Nelspruit,Mpumalanga province were dismissed for participating in unlawful strike action. The JVsaid the strike came after the workers had persisted with repeated unlawful andunprotected strike action since April 2008, despite being given a final ultimatum in April.The workers had since the beginning of April downed tools on a number of occasions toprotest wages, bonuses and working conditions. The workers had been given a finalultimatum on 24 April 2008, that if they were to participate in any unlawful orunprotected strike, they would be dismissed

● Taxi drivers affiliated to the Alexandra Taxi Association went on strike on 24 June 2008.The drivers complained about the long working hours and the high fuel price. ATAreported that drivers went on strike after their employers stopped them from divertingother vehicles in order to reduce the long hours. This comes after taxi drivers betweenthe Johannesburg-Pretoria route went on a two-day strike over the new card-for-paysystem a week before. They said they could no longer make extra-cash because of thecashless card system and demanded to be registered with the Department of Labour.The same drivers also complained of long working hours

● About 1 500 workers at the R2.9 billion Green Point Stadium downed tools in June 2008as reported by the Labour Research Service. This followed failed arbitration betweenmanagement and the Building Construction and Allied Workers’ Union (AWU). However,the City of Cape Town contradicted this on 25 June 2008 saying there were no workerson strike. The Labour Research Service said there was tension at the stadium followingmanagement’s refusal to recognise BCAWU and NUM as representatives of theconstruction workers. The research organisation said the key problem was the lack oftransparency by management about workers’ bonuses, following an agreement tocomplete building the stadium six months before schedule

● Johannesburg’s entire Metro Police Service downed tools on 25 June 2008 andembarked on a protest action following allegations of nepotism, favouritism and unfairlabour practices. The same day, the entire workforce of more than 500 members beganprotesting inside the Metro Police Head Quarters in downtown Johannesburg following ameeting over salaries

● Legal Aid Board workers marched on the Department of Justice’s offices late in June,calling for better wages. On 26 June 2008, Attorneys, paralegals and administrative staffsaid they were promised salary increases since 2005, but still earned so little that manyof them had to walk to work as they could not pay for transport

● In Volksrust about 3 000 Community Development workers blockaded roads andattempted to march to the town centre, but were dispersed by the police. The marcherscame from the Vukuzakhe township in Volksrust. Their march was dispersed because itwas illegal. The South African Municipal Workers Union began the strike on 26 June2008. They were protesting against the municipal manager of the Pixley ka Seme localmunicipality, whom they accused of racism. The union said the grievances included thefact that Blacks were still being discriminated against and were not paid the samesalaries as Whites for the same job. It was further reported that the municipality pursueda number of racist practices which included:

- Ignoring the Black heads of department in favour of junior White officials- Blacks earning less than their White colleagues- Advertising jobs vacated by White officials at lower salaries and offering them

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to Blacks

● About 1 000 municipal workers of Govan Mbeki Municipality in Secunda marched inSecunda on 30 June 2008 demanding that they be paid the same as councilors. SAMWUcalled for an end to head-hunting in the municipality, which they said “was nothing otherthan legalised corruption”. The union also called for an end to using taxpayers’ money forprivate lawyers to “prosecute” labour matters in the municipality. Protestors weredemanding fair salary packages and an end to all forms of labour practices and unilateralchanges of job requirements

● Members of the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union in thefurniture manufacturing sector embarked on a strike on 30 June 2008. The strike overwages by 4 000 workers across 90 companies in Gauteng, North-West, Mpumalanga,Limpopo and Free State started after wage negotiations deadlocked. The companiesaffected included Edblo, Metz Bedding, Restonic, SleepWorld, Woodstuff and Douphin.The union was demanding 13.0% and management was offering 8.0%. The union said itsmembers equated the R9-an hour they earned to a loaf of bread. The cost of living wastoo high, food prices had increased and the petrol price went up.

This month registered 16 disputes.

July 2008

● On 1 July 2008, the Port Elizabeth Police Forensic Unit embarked on an illegal go-slowaction which could have had a disastrous effect on fighting crime. The go-slow actionwas believed to centre on an overtime pay dispute

● On 1 July 2008, disgruntled subcontractors of the Gamont company started protestingat the R1.3 billion Presidential Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP). They were protestingover what they termed “peanuts” pay. Other complaints included accommodation, jobenvironment, overtime pay, unfair dismissal, favouritism and nepotism

● On 4 July 2008, soldiers from various infantry battalions and units around the countryprotested at the Department of Defence’s headquarters. They were protesting for awage increase. The soldiers demanded wage increases and the immediate dismissal ofthe Defence Minister and the Secretary of Defence. They demanded that their wages beincreased by 19.0%

● On 9 July 2008, COSATU embarked on a protest in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Capeagainst escalating prices of food, fuel and other commodities. The Durban Chamber ofCommerce reported that Durban experienced an absenteeism of about 80.0% in labourintensive companies. It was further reported that many companies had negotiations withtheir shop stewards and staff to close and recover lost production time over theweekend. In Cape Town, about 2 500 workers braved the cold and wet weather to marchto Parliament where a memorandum on the electricity crisis was handed torepresentatives of the government, business and Eskom. It was reported by SACTWUthat about 88.0% of the clothing and textile sector’s workers in KwaZulu-Natal andWestern Cape took part in the strike

● More than 50 disgruntled workers in the Department of Public Service and Administrationin Pretoria protested during lunch inside the department’s headquarters in Proes Streeton 9 July 2008. Nehawu accused the Minister of racism, ignoring claims of nepotism,

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overlooking Black workers for promotion and “unilaterally” restructuring the departmentwithout informing unions and staff

● On 10 July 2008, over 400 municipal workers of Ditsobotla Local Municipality inLichtenburg in North West downed tools after demanding that their acting MunicipalManager resign. The workers accused the acting Municipal Manager of misconduct, aftershe allegedly lifted the suspension of two managers who were suspended by council overallegations of corruption

● On 10 July 2008, about 2 000 taxi drivers belonging to the Witwatersrand African TaxiOwners Association stopped working to discuss further action at a garage in Zola,Soweto. They protested in solidarity with three of their colleagues who were assaultedand turned into punching bags by their bosses all in separate incidents

● About 6 500 mineworkers downed tools at the harmony Gold Mine in Virginia, Free Stateon 15 July 2008 in protest against the recent deaths of mineworkers. This came in thewake of the death of another mineworker at the Elandsrand Gold mine in Mpumalanga on15 July 2008. It was reported that the workstoppage at Harmony’s Virginia operationswas related to a death of a mineworker on 11 July 2008 at the Unisel mine. The workerwas reported to have been killed after accidentally injuring himself with a water jet thathe was operating. There was an agreement between management and unions that saysthat in the event of a mineworker losing his life in the line of duty, a day will be set asidefor workers to mourn. Hence it was not classified as a strike by both management andworkers

● Production at 11 gold mines in the Free State was severely disrupted on 16 July 2008with an estimated 90.0% of workers striking. COSATU affiliates in the Free State,Northern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces held demonstrations and workstoppages inprotest against the rising costs of fuel, food and the cost of living. Anglo American’sKumba Iron Ore reported that about 30.0% of the workforce at its Sishen mineparticipated in the mass action. Meanwhile, clothing and textile factories in most parts ofthe Free State and parts of the Northern Cape came to a standstill. It was reported bySACTWU that 77.0% of the clothing and textile workers participated in the strike in theFree State and Northern Cape. COSATU’s provincial spokesperson in Mpumalanga claimedthat 100 000 people joined in the strike in six towns (Nelspruit, Bushbuckridge, Secunda,Ermelo, Kwaggafontein and Witbank)

● In the middle of July 2008, over a hundred workers working on a construction site atCecilia Makiwane Hospital were dismissed after embarking on an illegal strike for fourweeks. Transtruct Construction claimed that the strike centred on a wage dispute. Theworkers were locked out of the construction site during the strike, sat outside the lockedgates throughout their strike action. Workers were since replaced with new workers. Thestrikers said that tender documents for the site allegedly showed that workers should bepaid R14 an hour and not the R7 the striking workers were getting. Managementreported that workers were axed after embarking on what they said were illegal strikessince April. Management claimed that workers wanted an increase of 297.0% towardstheir salaries that had already been increased by 26.0%

● On 18 July 2008, about 500 construction workers at the 2010 Peter Mokaba SportsComplex in Polokwane downed tools and started protesting inside the premises of theconstruction company Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO). The workers were demandingoutstanding bonuses of R3 000 for each. It was the fourth time the workers weredowning tools since construction began in 2007. Management said that bonuses could

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only be paid out after work reviews, but workers wanted them immediately

● Workers at one of KwaZulu-Natal’s biggest abattoirs went on strike on 21 July 2008,forcing production to a standstill. The workers were sent home and locked out of thecompany premises at the Triple A Beef abattoir outside Pietermaritzburg followingcontractual disagreements. The entire staff at the abattoir downed tools aftermanagement allegedly tried to force some workers to sign a contract against their will. Itwas reported that initially, about 50 workers were dismissed for refusing to sign thecontract

● Rolling mass action hit Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, the North-West and Limpopo on23 July 2008. The reasons for the strike were: the electricity crisis and power shortages;the increase in the petrol price and rising food prices. Thousands of striking SouthAfrican workers brought mines and businesses to a halt. Vehicle maker Volkswagen’smain factory near Port Elizabeth was shut, as were those of Ford Motor Company andDaimler. The protest drew thousands of marchers in Johannesburg (25 000), EasternCape, Limpopo and North-West. Commuters were left stranded and the mining industrieshad essential services ground almost to a halt as COSATU flexed its muscles across thecountry. Government departments, including education departments, were affected bythe strike and children had a day off school. The metro bus service in Johannesburg wascancelled for the day

● At the end of July 2008, it was reported that all major services at the Govan Mbekimunicipality in Secunda came to a standstill as 1 500 workers from the South AfricanMunicipal Workers’ Union were on strike. The municipality reported that there were nostaff members at the water, refuse collection and electricity departments

● At the end of July 2008, London-listed Petra Diamonds halted primary production at itsSouth African Helam Mine following a strike by more than 600 of its workers over a wagedispute.

This month recorded 15 labour disputes.

August 2008

● More than 2 000 Telkom workers around the country downed tools on 1 August 2008over a wage dispute. Other things the unions were demanding, included, gain sharingincentives, medical and standby allowance. Telkom was initially offering 10.5%, but theSouth African Communications Union and Communications Workers’ Union wanted acumulative 12.0%. It was reported that the stayaway would also be converted tovacation leave instead of applying the “no work no pay” rule

● On 1 August 2008, workers at Eskom’s multibillion rand Medupi Power Station atLephalale in Limpopo downed tools. Workers were demanding higher salaries. Theydemanded that they be paid R28.65 instead of R12.50 per hour. The workers alsowanted the alleged discrimination related to toilet facilities to be investigated. Theyclaimed that facilities were used along racial lines

● On 4 August 2008, workers at Petra Diamond’s Helem mine in Rustenburg embarked onstrike over pay as reported by both management and union. However, the company andthe union finally agreed to a wage increase of 18.2% across the board

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