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Start of Numsa strike further economic knock

Johannesburg - It is expected that about 220 000 members of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) will down tools in the metals and engineering sector on Tuesday.

A deadlock in negotiations led to a strike notice from majority union Numsa, the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood, and Allied Workers' Union (Ceppwawu), and the General Industries Workers' Union of SA.

This would be the latest in a series of strikes that many believe would further damage SA's economy.

SA is still reeling from a five-month strike in the platinum mining sector that ended this week, which also pushed the economy into a contraction in the first quarter.

The National Employers' Association of SA (Neasa) said on Monday Numsa should abandon its plan to strike and return to the negotiating table.

"A strike at this stage, when we haven't even attempted to constructively address the critical issues, is premature and irresponsible," Neasa chief executive Gerhard Papenfus said in a statement.

The strike will hit sectors including engineering, communications and automotive components.

The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of SA (Seifsa) on Monday withdrew its lockout against Solidarity, the only union not going to strike in the steel and metals sector.

The federation made the decision after its CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba met Solidarity general secretary Gideon du Plessis on Monday afternoon, Seifsa said in a statement.

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