Car strike: No end in sight

Johannesburg - The strike by workers in the car manufacturing sector aligned to the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) will continue on Friday, a spokesperson said.

"The strike is continuing. There will be demonstrations at seven plants in three provinces, namely the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal
and Gauteng," Numsa spokesperson Castro Ngobese said.

Union representatives on Thursday met with the Automobile Manufacturers Employers Organisation (Ameo) in Port Elizabeth in an
effort to reach a settlement.

"Negotiations will resume again today Friday at 10:00."

However, Ngobese said, the employer did not bring an "enticing offer," that could end the strike, which started on Wednesday.

The workers are demanding a 15% across-the-board wage increase, a 100% lay-off payment and the scrapping of labour brokers.

They are also demanding that Ameo reduce working hours to eight hours a day from Monday to Friday, and allow six months of paid
maternity leave.

The employers are offering a wage increase of seven percent based on a three-year agreement, with increases in subsequent years
linked to inflation.

Ameo has said that its workers' demands were unrealistic and warned that the strike could have a negative impact on the production of vehicles for the local market.

It also said that the strike could affect long term export contracts.

The Congress of SA Trade Unions has also declared support for Numsa's strike.

It agreed with Numsa that while the industry was a "strategic pillar" of the economy, workers shouldn't compromise their rights to bargain or to strike, for the sake of national interests.

Cosatu called on the employers to bring new proposals to the table as quickly as possible so negotiations could resume.

"If, however, the employers remain intransigent they can be assured that Numsa has the backing of Cosatu's two million workers," Cosatu said in a statement.

- Sapa