The on-going national strike by truck drivers, still not resolved when this issue went to press on Tuesday morning, could be just the beginning of what is expected to be a tough year of escalating strike action, as unions bargain for higher wages and battle against retrenchment in an economy under siege, says Mike Maeso, partner and head of employment law at Shepstone & Wylie. Employers should expect greater resistance fuelled by an expectation from unions of a new government that is more labour friendly. If it is any indication, CCMA referrals are up 28% in 2009. Unions have already targeted key projects, such as KwaZulu- Natal’s La Mercy airport, key employers like Toyota and OR Tambo’s luggage handling. Despite the retrenchment of thousands of workers in virtually every sector of the economy, trade unions are demanding double digit wage increases and are not shy in their demands, says Maeso. Satawu started off demanding a 47. 5% increase for the security industry (tempered to 35%). NUM is asking for more than 10% and has warned of a strike in the gold mining industry. Inflation is reportedly at 8.6% excluding a 35c/l hike in fuel this month and any employer who thinks they can negotiate wage increases below this should think again, he says. But not all is bad. Maeso points out trade unions are also playing a positive role. Examples of this are the pressure on SAA to terminate the services of its CEO and the indication that there will be a strike if Eskom has its 34% tariff hike approved. NUMSA, in job security conferences, has identified critical issues that need to be recognised.
