Sactwu confirms wage strike

The union said it had received an overwhelming mandate to embark on strike action in pursuit of its members' wage demands.

Of the 46,600 clothing members of the union who voted in a secret ballot over the last three weeks, 92% voted in favour of strike action, it said.

Between 50,000 and 60,000 clothing workers are expected to commence the strike action on Tuesday.

Sactwu claimed that clothing workers were the lowest paid employees in the whole of the South Africa manufacturing sector.

Clothing employers are currently offering a weekly wage increase of between R19 and R32 per week, equivalent to a 5% wage increase.

"But even this low offer is conditional on clothing workers agreeing to forfeit overtime earnings for any form of absenteeism, even where such absenteeism is legally authorised," Sactwu said.

The trade union is demanding a 7.9% wage increase. Wage negotiations started as far back as April this year and the new wage increase was due on 1 September.

"The trade union is of the view that its demands are reasonable and affordable, that it now only resorts to strike action as a last option but that negotiations cannot continue inconclusively forever," Sactwu said.

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