Strike certificate issued to the glass sector

By Rhodé Marshall
26 July 2007

Trade unions in the glass sector of the chemical industry were issued with a strike certificate on Wednesday afternoon.

This came after continued negotiations on Monday and Tuesday were deadlocked.

In an attempt to turn from a strike in the sector, more discussions were scheduled to take place on Monday the 30th of July.

However if the negotiations on Monday shows no positive results, then the unions have said that there is a big possibility that they will follow through with a strike.

“The employers are offering the workers a two-year agreement, which includes a 7% increase with an additional 0, 25% in January 2008,” says Solidarity spokesperson, Jaco Kleynhans.

Kleynhans says that the trade unions are not happy with the two-year agreement they have been offered and they will only be happy with the 10% they have been demanding from the employers.

The unions are also demanding that temporary and contract employees who form an important of the company’s core operations be made permanent.

“Negotiations are proceeding slowly, but we have made it clear to the employers that we are serious about our demands,” says Kleynhans.

Consol Glass and the PG Group are the largest companies taking part in the negotiations.