NATIONAL – Refinery workers, countrywide, have taken to strike this morning over a wage dispute. The head of collective bargaining for the Chemical Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union, Clement Chitja, has told DurbanZone journalists that there is no duration set for the strike that is currently taking place.He said that the workers were unhappy with the wage situation and other employment issues. They have taken to the streets demanding an increase of 9 percent but employers are offering 7 percent. Chitja said: “If the employers do not heed to the workers’ demands, the strike will possibly continue for 3 more days.”
Should the strike run longer, this will, in turn, affect the public, in that the supply of fuel will run short. For the time being, petrol stations are not affected, because they have ample levels in stock. However, should the strike prolong, the consumer’s petrol tanks could run dry.
