2010 World Cup stadium strike poised to enter second week

Jul 14, 2009, 15:05 GMT

Johannesburg - Workers at several World Cup stadiums and related projects in South Africa continued their strike for a seventh day Tuesday after rejecting a marginally improved pay deal.

Around 70,000 construction workers at five of 10 World Cup stadiums and several other key infrastructure projects downed tools on July 8 over pay.

The workers, who earn on average 2,500 rand a month (around 224 dollars), initially demanded a 13-per-cent wage increase. The building contractors initially offered 10.4 per cent.

By Tuesday, the two sides were stuck on a half-percentage point difference.

The workers had refused the employers' improved offer of 11.5 per cent and were insisting on 12 per cent, the National Union of Mineworkers, one of two unions representing the workers at the wage talks, said.

The employers were meeting Tuesday afternoon to discuss their position.

'The workers will continue striking tomorrow unless there is a resolution of the outstanding issues,' NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said.

Five of 10 World Cup stadiums, a new airport in Durban, the Gautrain fast train being built to link Johannesburg airport to the city's Sandton business district and new power stations are affected by the strike.

Five stadiums have already been completed. The remaining five are between 75 and 90 per cent completed. The deadline for their handover to World Cup organizing body FIFA is end of the year.

The strike has sparked concern of a sprint finish for Cape Town's new Greenpoint stadium, which is running right up against schedule after being delayed by legal challenges and two previous strikes.