Strike action by the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) affecting dealer deliveries in the country, looks likely reach at least a week in duration.
Around 4,000 union members belonging to SATAWU have walked out in support of a 15% wage increase claim, with shipments of vehicles hampered by strike action at South African ports as well as by transport workers.
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“We are still on strike even though the employer [s] have tabled a proposal on Saturday when we met them under the mediator” [Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration], a SATAWU spokesman told just-auto from Johannesburg.
“We are hoping by tomorrow, the employers will come back to us. They told us they would go and consult with their principals. We are asking for 15%, but we are prepared to compromise to about 12% over two years.
“The effect on delivery of vehicles is employers have made some delivery measures here and there, but it will cost them. We know they are making some measures now for deliveries themselves.”
SATAWU estimates “almost all’ local and international vehicle manufacturers are affected by the strike, which follows hot on the heels of major automotive industrial action recently, that saw huge swathes of the sector paralysed by a series of walkouts organised by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA).
Around 100,000 striking workers in the component, petrol station, panel-beaters, car and spare parts, fitment workshops, truck body and trailer builders industries, as well as dealer sectors, walked out on 9 September in the pay dispute.
Following the return to work after that action, BMW nonetheless cautioned it planned to put future investment on hold, with the strikes costing the German automaker 13,000 cars in lost production.
South Africa’s Motor Industry Bargaining Council (MIBCO) components division confirmed to just-auto the strike was still on-going and would have “a knock-on effect” for the industry.
Further details are expected from MIBCO later today.
