Clothing workers strike

Clothing workers strike

By Norm Dixon

The 83,000-strong South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union began an indefinite national strike on July 25 for a 10% wage rise. Half the union's membership is in the Western Cape. Workers are also unhappy with the ANC government's policy of rapidly reducing import tariffs, which will lead to large job losses.

The strike was called by SACTWU shop stewards after a strike ballot of the membership was passed with an 83% majority. There were more than 400 factory meetings before the vote, "every one of them packed like never before", reported SACTWU education officer Andre Kriel.

SACTWU points out that the industry's highest paid machinists' wages are 6% below the level needed to afford the basic necessities of life (R315 or $A80 a week). The lowest wages in Johannesburg and Durban are 40% below. "Our demand for a living wage in the clothing industry is part of our campaign to bring about equity in our society", said Kriel.

Fortuin, a machinist for 19 years, told the South African Weekly Mail and Guardian: "I'm doing it for my children. Who knows, one day they may end up in a clothing factory and I don't want them to ask me why I did nothing about the peanuts we earn."

Fortuin does not believe that workers should make sacrifices so that the South African clothing industry can be "internationally competitive", as the industry bosses and the government are asking. "The bosses don't care about the economy, all they care about is their good lives and expensive schools and holidays every year."

The workers will stick out the strike despite not having a strike fund, she promised. "We get by on so little, I'm sure we'll get by on nothing at all. People in the community are fantastic. They started collecting food for us last week already, so at least my children won't go hungry. I'm on strike until the bosses give in and pay us a decent wage."

From GLW issue 241