Multiple strikes to cripple SA

Aeron said:
Living in the middle of nowhere sure has its perks.

Go monkeys! Improve your own situation by breaking down the world around you. Yay monkeys!
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+1

They'll cut off their nose to spite their face. It's actually nothing new, really. They don't learn, they repeat the same mistakes again and again. News like this is really starting to become so common that it's turning into something you raise the odd eyebrow to and shrug off with a mild disinterest.

Fun times ahead... Wonder how many will end up shot and how many will end up dead. I've heard fun stories about how they'll start marching from their informal settlements, make their way into town and threaten anyone who doesn't agree to join 'em at knife point.

There's always a strike. There's always some nonsense somewhere. And nine times out of ten it's an illegal strike. And what gets done about it? The cops? Army? Anyone? Nope. There are never any ramifications or consequences.

It's difficult to view government as anything more than a figurehead paperweight that pretends to be in control and gives off the illusion that everything is "going according to plan" while successfully halting any attempt at social or economic progress. Then again, what do you expect when becoming president of ZA simply involves donning a T-shirt, acting like "part of the crowd" for a few days and fooling the majority with pick-up lines that wouldn't even work on Paris Hilton.
 
ohyeah, farked up indeed, let the spite-yourself begin.
I'm guessing the idiots who do rubbish removal will go dump it out in the streets again.... only to have to go pick it up after the strike again.
We have a culture of having things bad, then go f* it up even more, and then complain some more :rolleyes:
 
Lycanthrope said:
News like this is really starting to become so common that it's turning into something you raise the odd eyebrow to and shrug off with a mild disinterest.
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It's starting to feel like Europe.

I've heard fun stories about how they'll start marching from their informal settlements, make their way into town and threaten anyone who doesn't agree to join 'em at knife point.
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I heard they were building crop circles so alien workers could join the strike to show solidarity.

There's always some nonsense somewhere.
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Sometimes it is even in South Africa.

And nine times out of ten it's an illegal strike. And what gets done about it? The cops? Army? Anyone? Nope. There are never any ramifications or consequences.
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Most of the strikes reported seem to be legal. As for ramifications there are both for legal and illegal strikes. In the former case they sacrifice pay and in the latter people have been fired.
 
noxibox said:
It's starting to feel like Europe.
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I'd prefer European strikes, personally.

I heard they were building crop circles so alien workers could join the strike to show solidarity.
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I've spoken to one of the alien workers, so I have enough proof to convince me that she wasn't lying and that it's true, at least for some places in the country.

Sometimes it is even in South Africa.
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'strue that.

Most of the strikes reported seem to be legal. As for ramifications there are both for legal and illegal strikes. In the former case they sacrifice pay and in the latter people have been fired.
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Here I'm on iffy ground. I thought that it was illegal for primary/basic-needs services (doctors, waste collectors, police, fire department, etc) to strike? Regardless, the way I see it is that they come to want more luxuries, and their salaries aren't enough, so they strike, the employers cave, and all is fine for a few months, then their raise isn't enough any more, so they strike again. Rinse, repeat.

Don't get me wrong, regarding the doctors' strike, it's understandable that they'd want an increase, but endangering patients' lives? Yeah, that's an excellent way to go about it and explains why you work in a dump in the first place and not a private clinic or hospital.

I say that there are no (law-related) ramifications because there aren't any. When a large enough group of people strike (illegally) does anyone get arrested? No. When a large enough group of people set fire to trains, buses or even their toilets, does anyone get arrested? Nope.

And watch - they can strike, they can shoot themselves in the foot but they won't learn from it :( But they'll get away with it.
 
CeeBee said:
ohyeah, farked up indeed, let the spite-yourself begin.
I'm guessing the idiots who do rubbish removal will go dump it out in the streets again.... only to have to go pick it up after the strike again.
We have a culture of having things bad, then go f* it up even more, and then complain some more :rolleyes:
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heh...

Thousands of municipal workers took to the streets on Monday to demand better pay, harassing hawkers, emptying refuse bins in streets and leaving South Africans with minimal services.

“We would appear to have huge support,” said Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) spokesman Patrick Craven. “We hope that the employers will have noticed it and come back to the negotiating table as soon as possible.”

Unions representing 150,000 people have a long list of demands, saying workers are struggling to cope as inflation peaked at 13.7 percent last year.

Three people were injured when the police fired rubber bullets at disorderly protesters in Polokwane, Limpopo police said.

Public order police were deployed in several cities to keep an eye on protesters, including Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban where marches proceeded peacefully.

Emergency services workers, dressed in uniform, were among those marching in Johannesburg, where a protester waved a placard, stating: “Essentialise my salary, I will essentialise your service”.

In Pretoria, union officials stepped in and prevented some marchers from stealing from hawkers next to the road. Protesters also emptied refuse bins in the streets, causing the police to use a water cannon to disperse them.

The ruling African National Congress condemned the action by some workers.

“We firmly believe that the municipal strike, which has resulted in the trashing of streets by striking workers, can only be resolved through negotiations,” the ANC said in a statement. “No form of disorder or violence can resolve any wage dispute other than through negotiating forums like bargaining chambers.”

The opposition Democratic Alliance reported that several clinics were closed in and around Johannesburg.

“This must involve some intimidation as most nurses are not Samwu [SA Municipal Workers’ Union] members,” said DA spokesman Jack Bloom.

The provincial health department did not respond to questions by Sapa on Bloom’s statement.

Meanwhile, the SA Local Government Association (Salga) called on unions to return to the negotiating table, saying it had already “significantly” upped its wage offer from 10.5% to 13 percent.

“Salga believes that negotiations are the most preferred vehicle to nurture industrial action since this is a critical prerequisite for quality service delivery and development,” Salga executive director of labour relations, Mzwanele Yawa, said.

Yawa said he would only be able to say at the end of the day how many workers participated in the strike.

Samwu and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union (Imatu) are demanding a 15% or R2500 wage increase, whichever was greater.

The unions also want a minimum wage of R5000 per month, a 70 percent housing loan assistance for a bond up to R300,000 and the filling of all vacant posts at municipalities by no later than January 2010.

Workers said their demands were necessary to combat inflation.

A City Power employee in Johannesburg, Simon Mudzanai, said he had been working for City Power for 37 years and still only made R5000 a month.

“Eskom is getting 31% and we are only looking for half that,” said Mudzanai, referring to the National Energy Regulator of SA’s granting Eskom a 31.3% tariff hike in June.

Bus commuters were probably the most affected by the strike action.

While municipalities promised to continue delivering essential services, bus commuters were told to make alternative transport arrangements, since drivers employed by Metrobus, which transports about 90,000 passengers daily, were members of Samwu.

“We had to take a taxi... I did not see any buses this morning,” said Wits student Terisha Rampersadh. “I saw school children stranded,” she added.

While the unions’ national leaders were still counting the number of striking workers by 2pm, KwaZulu-Natal provincial union authorities reported a 90% participation in the strike.

Also on Monday, the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union continued with its week-long strike in the chemical, pharmaceutical and paper industries and marched to the offices of Sappi paper company in Johannesburg with a list of demands.

But train commuters can heave a sigh of relief since a strike that could have left 1.5 million people stranded, seems to have been averted.

The SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union and the United Transport and Allied Trade Union halted planned strike action for Tuesday after the Passenger Rail Agency of SA tabled a new wage offer of 8%, up from 7%.

The unions demanded 9% but said it would suspend the strike to take the latest offer back to members for feedback this week.
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Source: Sowetan
 
A herd of dark and red creatures moved down Cape road, making trumpeting sounds and overturned all the Dirtbins in their wake. Rolling in the filth and generally having a good time while Law abiding Citizens were doing their best to carry on, and get where they want to be.
 
Man i am dreading going to work tomorrow... traffic today was bad, and i hear they have damaged some of the traffic lights... going to suck going to the CBD, thank god i dont have to go to the center of the Cbd where they are striking...
 
today I really wished I was rather in another country.

driving through town there were rubbish everywhere in the street. but at least at about 1pm I saw the garbage truck picking up trash again.

fcking idiots striking... maybe they should start explaining the economic situation to these idiots at every ANC rally.

basically the entire world is in a recession and the ANC government is going on a spending spree buying luxury goods and their supporters are trying to make the country "ungovernable" with their stupid strikes.

:mad:
 
Oooh.. There's more:

Several protesters were injured by rubber bullets as thousands of municipal workers took to the streets on Monday to demand better pay, harassing hawkers and emptying refuse bins.

Gallery: Municipal Workers Strike

In Plettenberg Bay, Western Cape Police said eight "unruly" protesters and four police officers were injured during a strike.

Captain Malcolm Pojie said police used rubber bullets and pepper spray to disperse a group of about 100 South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) members when they began throwing rubbish and other items at passing motorists.

"Police intervened and protesters then began assaulting police officers by throwing stones at them. They had to retaliate."

Two people were arrested for public violence.

Limpopo police said three people were injured in Polokwane when some workers turned violent during a march to municipal offices.

Superintendent Moatshe Ngoepe said police fired rubber bullets into the crowd.

"They damaged the gate of the municipal entrance and they took all the dustbins and threw it [the rubbish] all around the streets. We intervened and during the process three people were slightly injured."

Ngoepe said reports that one of the injured had not been part of the protest would be investigated.

Twenty-five people were arrested on charges of public violence, malicious damage to property and organising an illegal gathering.

In Empangeni, KwaZulu-Natal police took 50 striking municipal workers in for questioning after they allegedly tried to set a police van alight.

"They threw a burning object, but the car was not destroyed," said Inspector Mbongeni Mdlalose.

In Pretoria, union officials prevented some marchers from stealing from hawkers next to the road.

Meanwhile the South African Municipal Workers' Union said the strike would continue until at least Wednesday.

"We are in the process of getting mandates from our members across the country on a new offer, which was the outcome of protracted negotiations between the parties over the weekend," Samwu said in a statement.

"These discussions will continue until Wednesday, when a national executive committee will convene to assess the strike and determine a way forward."

The union said its members came out in "full force" on Monday in support of the strike.

"Our structures report massive support for the strike, with many services, such as refuse removal, traffic, water maintenance, revenue collection not operating."

It said members were present in all major cities, as well as smaller municipalities like Bredasdorp, Mossel Bay and Beaufort West.

The union said the strike was conducted in a "peaceful and disciplined manner" and said it was "outraged" at reports of police action in Polokwane.

The main marches in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban proceeded, on the whole, peacefully.

The Cape Town municipality said extra law enforcement was sent to Khayelitsha, Killarney and Nyanga townships following reports of assault and intimidation by strikers.

Spokeswoman Kylie Hatton said a law enforcement officer was assaulted at the Nyanga terminus by striking workers and later taken to a clinic for treatment.

The South African Local Government Association (Salga) called on unions to return to the negotiating table, saying it had already "significantly" upped its wage offer from 10.5 percent to 13 percent. Unions wanted 15 percent.

"Salga believes that negotiations are the most preferred vehicle to nurture industrial action (sic) since this is a critical prerequisite for quality service delivery and development," Salga executive director of labour relations, Mzwanele Yawa, said.

However, unions, including Samwu and the Independent Municipal and Allied Trade Union, which collectively represent 150 000 people, insisted their demands be met to ensure workers could cope with inflation, which peaked at 13.7 percent last year.

In Pretoria, Samwu's national general secretary Mthandeki Nhlapo said workers did not want a "starving wage", but one that would improve their lives.

"This is an insult to the workers, President Zuma must intervene... We did not vote to change the lives of a few selected, we voted for a better life for all."

A water services employee in central Johannesburg said: "We need more money with inflation everywhere."

Also present at the march was Samwu spokesman Dumisani Langa who claimed that 70 percent of municipal workers were earning less than the R5 000 a month the unions were demanding as a minimum wage.

"Nowadays you can't have a person making R3 000 a month as a permanent employee," he said. - Sapa
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Source: News24

Must say, I'm happy about the (few) arrests that were made. They're likely to be out in a couple of days, what with over-crowded prisons and that just being the norm, but at least some attempt is being made to subdue the more violently-inclined bunch.

It's kind of funny though, I know retail managers that earn less than R5,000 a month. Obviously they're in the wrong profession.

Edit - take a look at some of the pictures in that gallery (there are 37 in total). It's absolutely disgusting.

You know, they don't want to live like savages, yet they act the part and wonder why :rolleyes:
 
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ok - so from what I can make out they scheduled a power cut in my area for today so that they can work on the lines . . . but since there's a strike . . . there's no one actually working on the lines . . . :erm:
 
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