10,000 S Africa clothing workers in 'warning' strike

Image
AFP Johannesburg
Last Updated : May 23 2013 | 1:20 AM IST
Ten thousand South African textile workers ended a two-day strike today, which a major union described as a warning to employers who continue paying wages below the government prescribed rates.
"We only wished it to be a warning to employers who fail to obey the law and who continue to underpay our members," the Southern African Clothing and Textile Workers' Union (SACTWU) said in a statement.
According the union, some employers were paying workers far below the government allowed weekly minimum rate of USD 43.74.
The union demanded "immediate compliance with the legally prescribed minimum wage".
South Africa has a relatively small textile sector, with firms are concentrated in the Western Cape and the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal.
The country has entered a bruising wage bargaining season, which normally results in thousands of workers from various sectors taking to the streets over pay disputes.
The mining sector and the public service are usually the hardest hit.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 23 2013 | 1:20 AM IST

Next Story