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Johannesburg - The Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (Sactwu) said on Friday it will join a protected national strike from Monday.
This is the latest industrial action to hit an economy already reeling from a five-month stoppage in the platinum mines.
"The strike notice was issued yesterday and the strike is due to commence on Monday morning," Sactwu said.
This comes after wage negotiations for the industry failed to yield a settlement, Sactwu general secretary Andre Kriel said in a statement.
Workers from the National Union of Leather and Allied Workers (Nulaw) began striking on Monday.
"This secret ballot covered 2 038 of our members who are employed at 34 of 40 footwear companies nationally where we are organised," Kriel said.
Nearly 70% of the members supported the strike.
Nulaw general secretary Ashley Benjamin said: "The strike will affect about 164 footwear employers throughout South Africa and approximately 10 000 employees in the bargaining unit in major centres like Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg, George, and Oudtshoorn."
The unions wanted a minimum pay rise of 7.75% across the board. They wanted employers to set up a fund to help re-train employees should their work be replaced by new technology and machinery.
They also wanted employers to fast track setting up a reference pricing system for the footwear industry, under the auspices of the SA Revenue Service.
This would help customs officials at ports of entry deal with under-invoicing, and stop counterfeit and illegal imports from entering the country.
Wage increases were due on July 1.
This is the latest industrial action to hit an economy already reeling from a five-month stoppage in the platinum mines.
"The strike notice was issued yesterday and the strike is due to commence on Monday morning," Sactwu said.
This comes after wage negotiations for the industry failed to yield a settlement, Sactwu general secretary Andre Kriel said in a statement.
Workers from the National Union of Leather and Allied Workers (Nulaw) began striking on Monday.
"This secret ballot covered 2 038 of our members who are employed at 34 of 40 footwear companies nationally where we are organised," Kriel said.
Nearly 70% of the members supported the strike.
Nulaw general secretary Ashley Benjamin said: "The strike will affect about 164 footwear employers throughout South Africa and approximately 10 000 employees in the bargaining unit in major centres like Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg, George, and Oudtshoorn."
The unions wanted a minimum pay rise of 7.75% across the board. They wanted employers to set up a fund to help re-train employees should their work be replaced by new technology and machinery.
They also wanted employers to fast track setting up a reference pricing system for the footwear industry, under the auspices of the SA Revenue Service.
This would help customs officials at ports of entry deal with under-invoicing, and stop counterfeit and illegal imports from entering the country.
Wage increases were due on July 1.
