LAST YEAR recorded a big rise in labour disputes - with 3.1-million man days lost to strikes in 1999, versus 2.3-m in 1998.
Should this trend continue into 2000 it will serve to undermine overall export performance, said Standard Bank economist, Henry Flint, with negative consequences for the current account of the balance of payments and international reserves.
A major area of suffering, according to Flint, could be the burgeoning export successes of the SA motor vehicle industry - with this transport sector accounting for the second largest number (13.1%) of man days lost in 1999.
On an industry basis, he said, the prospects for auto exports during 2000 appear promising - premised on expectations of a 60% rise in volumes over 1999.
But - while the local industry is seizing opportunities to capture international niche market requirements - these efforts are being threatened by the labour unrest in the industry.
Only the week before Flint reported to FTW, Volkswagen SA, for example, was exposed to industrial action. This, the company has warned in the past, has the danger of undermining its vehicle and component export contracts.
Further, said Flint, COSATU plans to engage in various campaigns - culminating in strike action during May.
Their aim is to highlight the large-scale job losses in recent years - as well as the lack of job creation by business and government.
This is likely to further hamper the domestic export drive.
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