Strikes to Affect 2010 Stadia Construction
The 2010 Soccer World Cup is not too far away now and the construction workers strike is setting back the building of the stadiums to a point where if negotiations isn't resolved in the next few days, the local organising committee could have a serious problem on their hands. The unions are not backing down, but FIFA is confident that the dispute will be resolved and that the stadiums will be handed over to them by the end of the year as planned.
In the article below Jenny Tharayil discusses the situation between the unions and the employers. More information is provided below with the demands made by the construction workers union. Use the navigation link to view articles on the 2010 Soccer World Cup on CBN's website as well as business related articles.
Strike to affect world cup 2010 stadium construction
By: Jenny Tharayil
Soccer World Cup 2010 Stadium Construction would be halted if a payment dispute between construction workers and their employers are not resolved properly. South Africa's biggest union `The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)` on Tuesday confirmed its members in the construction sector would launch a strike over pay next week. ’A strike action is set to begin on July 8,’ said NUM spokesman Lesiba Seshoka.
A prolonged strike could cause partial shut down of an economy and could scare foreign investors.The N.U.M said the strike action, which already halted the construction of a 2010 World Cup stadium in Durban, would spread to other 2010 projects if their demands for more bonuses and safer working environment are not met by Monday.The union said it had served the construction sector’s employer body with a notice to go on strike after prolonged wage talks brokered by the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration collapsed on Friday.The strike could halt work on the World Cup infrastructure as well as the mass transit Gautrain high-speed rail project, power stations, an airport, a refinery, a coal terminal, hospitals, highways and mining projects.
"Its not just the World Cup stadiums that will be affected, we are talking about power stations, hospitals, roads and the like. It will last until the employers come to their senses and offer a 13 percent wage increase for one year." Lesiba Seshoka, the NUM's spokesman said.
The employers' organization said it would ask the courts to bar a strike, saying an agreement between the parties blocks the union from striking before the end of August this year.
Soccer's world governing body said it was confident South Africa would deliver on its World Cup commitments.
"FIFA has full trust in the host cities and the government in the delivery of their commitments regarding the stadiums," FIFA's media department said.
Date Created: 2009-07-15 |
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