SABC News reports that employers in the petroleum sector have finally agreed to resume negotiations with the striking Chemical Energy Paper Printing Wood and Allied Workers’ Union (Ceppwawu).  

This comes as the strike by 15,000 Ceppwawu members working at fuel refineries and depots is now entering a second week.  Ceppwawu is demanding a 9% wage increase and employers are offering 7%.  Employers maintain that it is business as usual at refineries across the country and that fuel is still being delivered to petrol stations.  They maintain that incidents of pumps running dry at some garages are only as a result of panic buying by motorists.  The union is apparently not too optimistic about a deal being reached by Friday.

• Read this report by Mbongeni Muthwa in full at SABC News
• See too, First talks today as fuel strike bites, at The New Age

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page