Most of South Africa’s truck drivers are set to return to work after winning a10% wage increase in negotiations, calming fears of an imminent fuel shortage. Three of the country’s four largest transport unions said that they would end strike action at 4pm yesterday, with workers retuning to the roads first thing this morning.
“At one stage, we had to get by with only a third of the truck drivers,” said MC Lamprecht, chairman of the South African Petroleum Retailers’ Union, which counts 900 of the country’s fuel transport drivers among its members.
Despite the resolution, a fourth union is still holding out for better terms. The South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union, which represents some 30,000 drivers from all industries, says it does not accept the terms agreed by the other unions.
Strike action also saw several gold miners fired for taking part in unauthorised action. 1,435 workers were fired by Gold One International for striking on October 1.
PetrolWorld 11102012