Cold weather delays KZN strike action

2011-08-15 12:34

Durban - Chilly weather in some parts of KwaZulu-Natal prevented striking municipal workers from taking part in pickets, the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) said on Monday.

“We planned a number of pickets but very few people attended because of the cold weather. The weather has disrupted our plans,” said Samwu provincial secretary, Jaycee Ncanana.

A countrywide municipal worker strike began on Monday morning.

Ncanana said they had decided to address striking workers at different venues in Durban after pickets failed.

It rained in Durban on Sunday night and the weather only started clearing up after 08:00.

Snow

The N3 highway at Van Reenen's Pass between the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal was also closed due to heavy snowfalls, the N3 Toll Concession company said on Monday.

Samwu and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) members are demanding an 18% or R2 000 wage increase, whichever is higher, and the SA Local Government Association is offering 6%.

According to the SA Local Governments Association, unions were revisiting a wage settlement agreed on last year.

Imatu members would join the strike on August 19 because it served the employer with the notice on August 11.

“You have to give the employer seven days' notice. The seven days' notice will end on August 19,” said Imatu president Stanley Khoza.

If Imatu members downed tools before then, they could face disciplinary measures after the strike, he said.

Ncanana said a massive march would take place in Durban on Friday and that other protests would take place in Pietermaritzburg and Port Shepstone on Thursday.

- Are you there? Send us your stories and photos

- SAPA