Strike 'may cause fuel crisis'
31/05/2006 19:16 PM


# Sharp hike in petrol on way

Johannesburg - South Africa could face a fuel crisis if workers in the petroleum sector went on strike over a wage dispute, the trade union Solidarity warned on Wednesday.

Solidarity spokesperson Jaco Kleynhans said: "If these workers go out on strike, the country could face a fuel crisis that will cause widespread disruption, as it did in 2005."

The warning follows a demand for a 10% wage increase for employees of the petroleum sector.

Petroleum companies Sasol Synfuels, Natref and PetroSA in earlier negotiations offered employees a 4.5% increase, but Solidarity declined to accept.

"These companies make billions of rand in profit, but are offering their employees a mere 4.5% increase."

A second round of negotiations will take place next week Wednesday and Thursday.

Kleynhans said that while Solidarity had not applied for legal permission to strike, its members had given the union the go-ahead to pursue the strike if their demands were not met.

"Solidarity's mandate, as communicated to the trade union by all its members in this sector, is to declare a strike if employers do not comply with their demands when negotiations resume."