Workers give Bay stadium a red card

[Pilgrim]

http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/news/n01_15112007.htm

WORK at Port Elizabeth‘s 2010 soccer stadium will grind to a halt indefinitely from Monday as workers embark on a solidarity strike that officials say will shatter any hope of the stadium meeting its already tight deadline.

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) confirmed yesterday that workers at all Fifa 2010 World Cup stadium construction sites would down tools from Monday in solidarity with striking workers at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.

The latest setback is likely to increase international speculation that South Africa will be unable to complete work on all its stadiums before the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

But more immediately for Port Elizabeth, a 2009 Confederations Cup match scheduled to be held in the city is now in serious jeopardy, with both the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality and the company in charge of construction saying the strike means the stadium is unlikely to be completed in time to host the Confederations Cup game.

NUM national spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said yesterday it was “all systems go” and that the only way to call off the strike was by management meeting workers‘ grievances.

Group Five, which is in a standoff with Durban workers, is on record as saying no further negotiations would be held with the union.

Demands include a R1 500 bonus for each worker and that sub-contractors meet minimum wage requirements for the civil engineering sector.

The union also wants workers to be allowed to elect a full-time safety compliance officer as it is unhappy with 15 safety compliance officers provided by the consortium involved in the construction of the stadium.

“We are going on national strike in all major 2010 projects. We have given seven days notice to employers, which expires on Monday,” said Seshoka.

Grinaker LTA, which is responsible for construction of the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium, confirmed yesterday it had received notification of the strike.

Project manager Mark Bicknell said: “The strike will definitely have a negative impact on the project. We have lots of unionised members at the site.”

Municipal spokesman Lourens Schoeman said the strike would have a negative impact, not only in Nelson Mandela Bay, but nationally.

“It will be very sad for a strike to affect a project of national importance.”

Local organising committee chief executive officer Danny Jordaan said the strike would not affect the preliminary World Cup draw.

He said efforts were under way to resolve the dispute at the Durban stadium as soon as possible.

“The preliminary draw is of paramount importance to us. We have a unique opportunity to demonstrate our ability to organise a world-class event to an expectant local, continental and international community.

“This is our first opportunity to host a preliminary draw that will really capture the attention of the world . . . as South Africans we need to hold together and be one team.”

Oh well, there goes that idea... (2010 was a cute idea but TIA)

 

[Tassidar]

I'm sure the stadia will be ready on time, strikes notwithstanding.

However, I think the government should come down hard on the unions for their opportunist behaviour.

 

[Tux]

the pride of a nation...

 

[GavinMannion]

That article seems a little hysterical, seriously how can a 2 weeks strike cause the stadium to not make it... you really think they haven't planned for unexpected problems?

Like a strike is unexpected in SA....

 

[Syndyre]

Fire the staff and get new ones.

 

[lion_fish]

That article seems a little hysterical, seriously how can a 2 weeks strike cause the stadium to not make it... you really think they haven't planned for unexpected problems?

Like a strike is unexpected in SA....

There is only so much time you can set aside for unforseen issues (although strikes are a given in Africa).

There is only a finite amount of time until 2010. Too many delays (plan all you want) will cause the stadiums not to be ready.

 

[Charlie.]

For a "project of national importance," don't you think that it's fair to pay the minimum wage and appoint an acceptable safety officer?

Even now, some fat-cat is scouting for his next luxury vehicle.

 

[Syndyre]

For a "project of national importance," don't you think that it's fair to pay the minimum wage and appoint an acceptable safety officer?

Even now, some fat-cat is scouting for his next luxury vehicle.

They are being paid at least the actual minimum wage, otherwise they could challenge this legally without needing to strike. This seems to be some or other sectoral minimum wage that may or may not apply to them. Depends what an acceptable safety officer is I suppose, they unions may have their own definition of acceptable.

 

[capetownguy]

That article seems a little hysterical, seriously how can a 2 weeks strike cause the stadium to not make it... you really think they haven't planned for unexpected problems?

Like a strike is unexpected in SA....

Its because the media and public are not sure what the deadline is.
The Bay stadium deadline is March 2009, and people would confused this with June 2010, if articles loosely refer to the statement " won't be ready".

 

[capetownguy]

http://www.theherald.co.za/herald/news/n01_15112007.htm



Oh well, there goes that idea... (2010 was a cute idea but TIA)

If its doesn't meet the March 2009 deadline then it has another 8 months to meet the world cup deadline, and instead of rushing this stadium project, use an existing venue instead to act as the 5th venue for the Confederations Cup because the four other venues need only minimal upgrades.