More than 220 000 National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) members across the country are expected to embark on an industrial strike from 1 July over wages.
Numsa, South Africa’s largest union, was seeking a 12 percent wage increase, but employers were offering eight percent.
Other demands included a one-year bargaining agreement, the scrapping of labour brokers, and the removal of short time and dismissal clauses..
The metal workers strike comes less than a week after the end of a crippling five-month stoppage in the platinum belt.
The union, which represents metal workers and other predominantly skilled employees, said the strike was inevitable.
“The decision to go on strike was not an easy one, but we can unambiguously state that this strike enjoys the overwhelming support of our members in this strategic layer of our country’s economy,” said the union’s national spokesperson Castro Ngobese.
The strike follows a series of failed negotiations between employers and the union.
“These workers have no choice but to rely on the State, simply because their wages are insufficient to afford decent housing and other important basic necessities.”
He added that members spent on average, more than 20 percent of their disposable income on transport costs.
The union said its national executive council resolved that its members at power utility Eskom must also join in the national action.
Workers at Eskom were generally not allowed to strike by law because they were considered to provide essential services.
However, Ngobese said, “We are not intimidated by threats of the illegality of our actions in Eskom or the threat of mass dismissals.”
Downing of tools could hamper Eskom’s ability to keep the country’s lights on, which has been a challenge for the utility in recent weeks.
