JOHANNESBURG -- South African construction workers went on an indefinite strike Wednesday at stadiums being built for the 2010 World Cup -- a move that could derail Africa's historic first World Cup tournament.Thousands of workers at stadiums across the country put down their tools after wage negotiations deadlocked earlier this week. Workers are demanding a 13 percent pay increase while employers are offering 10.4 percent.
The strike could delay completion of flagship projects such as the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg and stadiums in Cape Town and Durban. Other stadiums in smaller towns have also been affected.
The venues need to be completed by December to meet deadlines set by the game's ruling body FIFA before the tournament kicks off in June 2010.
Lesiba Seshoka of the National Union of Mineworkers, which represents construction workers, said 70,000 workers were involved in the strike, which would continue until employers met their demands.
He said the union was not worried about the completion of the stadiums -- that was a concern of the tournament's local organizing committee."We are worried about our families getting food, not a rich man buying a ticket to watch a game," he said.
Joe Campanella, from the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors, which represents construction companies, said only 11,000 workers took part in the strike.
He has said the deal offered by employers amounts to a 65 percent increase, including benefits.
However, the unions have complained that some workers are earning about $1.50 an hour and others $5 a week. Workers in South Africa are supposed to earn a minimum wage of about $200 a month.
The strike has been criticized for jeopardizing South Africa's chances of hosting a successful World Cup -- a monthlong event avidly watched by hundreds of millions around the world.
But the Congress of South African Trade Unions, which represents the country's largest trade union federations, has come out in support of the construction workers and says the dispute is not targeted at the World Cup.
Danny Jordaan, chief executive of the local organizing committee, said the strike would soon be resolved and was confident the stadiums will be completed on schedule.
"The construction workers have been the lifeblood of the 2010 FIFA World Cup project. Their hard work has ensured that we are on track to meet our deadlines and that our stadiums will be among the best in the world next year," he said in a statement.
Patrick Geqeza, a shop steward at the Soccer City stadium in Johannesburg, said he understood the importance of having the World Cup in South Africa and completing the stadiums in time.
"We feel bad about going on strike," he said, but added there was little alternative.
source: http://espn.go.com/
+ comments + 2 comments
Mbazima Shilowa where are you? I know you been coping but where are you. Recently it was Bafana Bafana wanting to twist the countries arm by threatening a strike and demanding Alpacino pay check. Now is stadium construction workers under the umbrella of Cosatu.We are deep in recession and many people from around the world will take those jobs with a big smile. Besides we have many highly motivated suppoters who can finish the job. Every jack and jill is going to threaten some silly strike as the world cup get closer and closer. The Medical Doctors put our business on the street by going on strike durring the confederations cup. People tend to forget or perhaps I do not know. People in Business profetion are the ones looking at all sizes of profit. Medical doctors should be motivated by saving lives and if money is their motivation then they are in wrong professions. Construction workers are in this for their love of arts and architecture. Since we are Africans we should have seen them demonstrate their pyramids designs, but no they go crazy. We have our brother in laws in Mozambique they are highly skilled. We got our cousons in Zimbabwe they got strong muscles. We got our brothers in Malawi and they are the best in all they do. We got our brothers in Lesotho they supply us with transportation that is enviromentaly freindly. We have our brothers from Namibia and they are on their toes. We have our brothers in Botswana and they got the cows lined up already as they will provide BBQ plate for the fans on duty.
We are just tired of being take advantage of, its high time that we the fans show some of these people that soccer belongs to us and it will be just like we want it. We are not going to let little bitty boys threaten us, too many boys want to kick the ball and will give them that chance. The soccer ball has never stopped rolling, its only the players who cannot pick theit feet anymore. Cosatu has got our people into goverment and has us going for over 15 years in democracy. The very Cosatu is the tripartite alliance, so how can the strangle their own kids. You also have people doing time for petty crimes and this could be their community work as they are released. I really doubt it's Cosatu it must be those after a big fish who are creating this conspiracy. Where is patriotism. We do not want people who money comes before patriotism do anything for us. I would not even give them any increament. Why must the Father pay his children for picking up trash arround the house. Democracy and freedom of speech and press doesn not mean abuse of patriotism.
Lucky Luciano
If peanuts are for the brain baloyis what te hek is this lady doing in the peanut farm. Employment at will my Sister, you choose who to work for and you choose when to leave, the employers choose who to employe and they are not obliged to keep you untill Jesus comes back. If I were not a monkey I would be found arround peanuts. You have still not stated who you are, are you a Njovu? Are you a Sibindi? Are you the one all man are sacred to marry you because you are known to woop man? I hope you are not gogo because I have never seen one. Nothing wrong with you my sister you need a real husband from Jeppe Hostel then you will line up. We understand but please tell us who you are once you have made up your mind. This is not Makhosikazi business, piki ne fosholo is for majimbos. Wena you must get parafin and pramus stove and bake fat cakes while Majimbos build the home stadiums.
Ntate Moholo