This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.BL Premium reports that labour federations and businesses have slammed a proposed 30% blanket tariff by former US President Donald Trump on SA exports, warning it could devastate an already fragile economy grappling with high unemployment and sluggish growth.
The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu), SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu) have all raised alarm about the economic and social consequences of the move, which threatens sectors such as automotive manufacturing, agriculture, steel, chemicals and textiles. Many of these industries have a footprint in the Eastern Cape, a major export gateway to global markets. “Cosatu is deeply concerned … the impact of the impending tariff is already being felt in the Eastern Cape with 900 jobs on the line at Goodyear SA and Mercedes-Benz ‘temporarily’ shutting down vehicle production,” said the federation’s Zanele Sabela. Saftu called the tariff “economic bullying” and a form of “trade war against the poor”. General secretary Zwelinzima Vavi stated: “This unilateral and protectionist threat will hurt workers and small producers across the Global South. A 30% tariff could drive many of them over the edge, leading to mass retrenchments and closures.” He called for urgent national dialogue, accelerated trade diversification, and a rejection of SA’s current export-led and austerity-driven model in favour of a UN sustainable development goals-aligned strategy. “We are extremely disappointed with US President Donald Trump’s announcement,” the Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) Business Chamber said in a statement, adding that the region would be disproportionately affected due to its high reliance on the automotive and agriculture sectors.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane & Thando Maeko at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Get other news reports at the SA LabourNews home page