The Mercury reports that members of the Chemical Energy Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers’ Union (Ceppwawu) employed at petrol refineries are set to begin a strike on Thursday morning over a wage dispute.  

A strike notice was sent to the National Petroleum Employers’ Association by the union on Monday.  Ceppwawu’s Clement Chitja said on Wednesday that about 23,000 workers in the petrochemical were expected to down tools, potentially affecting crude oil refineries and fuel depots.  The union, along with Solidarity and the SA Chemical Workers Union, has hit a negotiation deadlock with the employers' association over wage increases.  Unions are demanding 9% and an agreement for one year only, but employer associations are offering 7% as part of a multi-year deal.  The strike will be nation-wide, but will not extend to employees at petrol stations.

• Read this report in full at IOL News
• Read too, Wage strike could hit oil refineries, says union, at Fin24
• And also, Ceppwawu's planned strike to primarily affect refineries, fuel depots, at EWN

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page