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New offer on table as pumps dry up

Johannesburg - Employers in South Africa's petroleum industry have raised their wage offer for workers in the sector in a bid to end a week-long strike, trade union Solidarity said on Monday.

"Employers in the sector this afternoon made an offer of between 8% and 10%, depending on the employment level," the union said. The previous offer was for wages to rise by between 4% and 7%, while unions have been asking for 13%.

Solidarity is consulting with other labour groups on the revised offer before presenting it to its members. The strike will continue until a deal is reached, deputy secretary general Dirk Hermann said.

Talks in this sector had not been concluded and would likely resume on Tuesday.

"The new offer is definitely a step in the right direction, and we trust that we will soon, once the marathon session is concluded, be able to present the improved wage offer to our members for a new mandate."

National Petroleum Employers' Association spokesperson Nothemba Noruwana said: "I have not heard anything yet and until I do, I cannot make any comments."

About 70 000 workers affiliated to the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood, and Allied Workers' Union (Ceppwawu, the Allied Workers' Union and the General Industries Workers' Union of SA downed tools last Monday, demanding a minimum salary of R6 000 a month and a 40-hour working week.

Solidarity joined the strike on Monday, with the intention of adding a sense of urgency to negotiations.

Sasol announced on Monday it had reduced production at its Secunda plant, in the interests of safety because of the strike.

In her capacity as Sasol spokesperson, Noruwana said Sasol was "optimistic that parties will do everything possible to resolve the impasse".
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