CEPPWAWU: striking workers lose a month's wages

There have been protests at various pharmaceutical and petrol companies in Gauteng.

Picture: Freeimages.

JOHANNESBURG – The Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (Ceppwawu) says its members have lost about a month’s pay due to its strike, but they believe it will be worth it in the end.

There have been protests at various pharmaceutical and petrol companies in Gauteng.

Talks between Ceppwawu and the National Petroleum Employers’ Association deadlocked last week over workers’ demand for a nine percent salary hike.

Groups of workers have been outside some refineries this afternoon.

A handful of workers have been protesting outside the Sasol refinery in Alberton and say they will demonstrate again tomorrow.

Ceppwawu’s Themba Mahlalela says ideally, the workers would like to be at work.

He says the negotiations have not been proceeding well.

“That’s the sad part of it, we are working on the no-work-no-pay but we believe that once we get what we want, it is going to help us going forward than only losing for one month.”

Mahlalela says the strike will end once their nine percent salary increase is approved.