Motor retail strike to continue over weekend

The national strike by petrol attendants, component manufacturing workers and panelbeaters is set to continue after two days of wage negotiations ended inconclusively on Thursday (12 September) and concerns of spill-over effects into SA's already battered motor industry continue to grow.

The National Association of Automobile Manufacturers SA has warned that if the strike continues to the end of this week‚ production at vehicle manufacturing plants‚ themselves coming off a three-week strike‚ could be affected.

A separate wage negotiation in the tyre manufacturing sector has also reached deadlock‚ with certificates of non-resolution paving the way for another strike by the National Union of Metalworkers of SA in that sector‚ chairman of the New Tyre Manufacturers Employer's Association Douw van der Walt said on Thursday (12 September).

Retail Motor Industry executive director Jakkie Olivier said talks would resume on Monday (16 September). Both sides had tabled revised offers and the number of demands had been substantially reduced.