Unions gear up for mass marches

Johannesburg - Two unions involved in key sector strikes countrywide will step up their action on Tuesday, with mass marches planned for Durban and Johannesburg.

Congress of SA Trade Unions General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi is expected to lead a National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) march in Durban from 9:00.

Thousands of workers in the engineering sector were expected to gather at the King Dinizulu statue, opposite Durban Christian Centre.

Workers would then hand over a memorandum to Seifsa at the Durban City Hall.

More than 120 000 engineering workers are demanding pay rises ranging from 10% to 13%, and a ban on labour brokers.

The strike in the engineering industry - which began last week - is being led by Numsa, the Metal and Electrical Workers' Union (Mewusa), and the SA Equity Workers' Association (Saewa).

About 70 000 fuel and other workers joined them on Monday, pushing for a minimum salary of R6 000 per month and a 40-hour work week.

This strike could see supplies of medicine and petrol interrupted.

Those involved in the second strike are expected to gather at 10:00 in Johannesburg to march to the Chamber of Mines in the city centre.

Unions involved in the Johannesburg march included the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood, and Allied Workers' Union (Ceppwawu), the General Industries Workers' Union of SA (Giwusa) and the South African Chemical Workers' Union (Sacwu).

Metro police said traffic would be diverted in the CBD. The march was expected to start at the Workers' Library in Newtown and proceed down Miriam Makeba, Market, Simmonds and Marshall and Holland streets.

Last week, violence during the strike resulted in one death and six injuries.