South Africans embarked on at least 86 protected and unprotected labour protest actions last year, a majority of which were from the public service sector over wage disputes.
This is according to a strike barometer by the Casual Workers Advice Office released this week, which found that 48 strikes were protected and 38 were wildcat actions.
The majority of strikes concerned wages and related issues, such as increases, unpaid wages, allowances, benefits and employer failure to abide by collective agreements on wage increases.
The second highest trigger — for 22% of strikes — was the demand for permanent employment, and for an end to labour broking.
Other reasons were health and safety problems at work, including complaints about short-staffing, dangerous work places and failure of employers to provide appropriate personal protective clothing.
About 26 of the 38 wildcat strikes occurred in the public sector.
Seventeen of the 38 unprotected strikes were undertaken by non-unionised workers.
In 2022, the report said, 17 people were either “assassinated while organising a strike, shot dead by private security hired by bosses during a strike, shot and injured by police or private security, or beaten, petrol bombed or had their property damaged”. A fatality they recorded was that of Benito Moses, 35, who was shot allegedly by security guards during a violent strike by farmworkers in the Sunday's River Valley, Eastern Cape, in April.
Twenty-two of the strikes took place at provincial level, 14 at local government level and 13 at national level. Strikes also occurred at the Agricultural Research Council and Onderstepoort Biological Products.
Most strikes occurred in Gauteng province. The longest strike was by Giwusa-Fawu members against Clover, which went on for 180 days.
Fewer workers downed tools when compared with previous years.
The total number of strikes for the year continued a downward trend since the 165 strikes of 2018. There were 157 strikes in 2019 and 117 in 2020, said the report.
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Most strikes were by government workers in 2022: Report
Image: THULANI MBELE
South Africans embarked on at least 86 protected and unprotected labour protest actions last year, a majority of which were from the public service sector over wage disputes.
This is according to a strike barometer by the Casual Workers Advice Office released this week, which found that 48 strikes were protected and 38 were wildcat actions.
The majority of strikes concerned wages and related issues, such as increases, unpaid wages, allowances, benefits and employer failure to abide by collective agreements on wage increases.
The second highest trigger — for 22% of strikes — was the demand for permanent employment, and for an end to labour broking.
Other reasons were health and safety problems at work, including complaints about short-staffing, dangerous work places and failure of employers to provide appropriate personal protective clothing.
About 26 of the 38 wildcat strikes occurred in the public sector.
Seventeen of the 38 unprotected strikes were undertaken by non-unionised workers.
In 2022, the report said, 17 people were either “assassinated while organising a strike, shot dead by private security hired by bosses during a strike, shot and injured by police or private security, or beaten, petrol bombed or had their property damaged”. A fatality they recorded was that of Benito Moses, 35, who was shot allegedly by security guards during a violent strike by farmworkers in the Sunday's River Valley, Eastern Cape, in April.
Twenty-two of the strikes took place at provincial level, 14 at local government level and 13 at national level. Strikes also occurred at the Agricultural Research Council and Onderstepoort Biological Products.
Most strikes occurred in Gauteng province. The longest strike was by Giwusa-Fawu members against Clover, which went on for 180 days.
Fewer workers downed tools when compared with previous years.
The total number of strikes for the year continued a downward trend since the 165 strikes of 2018. There were 157 strikes in 2019 and 117 in 2020, said the report.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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