Over 1 000 SA Sasol workers on strike

JOHANNESBURG – More than a thousand workers at Sasol Coal will strike over what trade union group Solidarity said on Monday were poor salary increases and unsafe working conditions.

Solidarity said workers were unhappy with a 6,5 per cent salary increase and were demanding a 10 percent hike. The union said safety conditions were also worsening.They were also unhappy with Sasol’s refusal to allow unions access to an investigation into a fatal accident at a gas plant near Johannesburg that killed seven people, the union said.At 0721 GMT Sasol shares were down three per cent at 112 rand after the company also posted a fall in headline earnings.Headline earnings at Sasol fell in the last financial year due to the strong rand but the company said strong oil prices boosted second-half results.Sasol’s share price fell after the results, which were followed by news that a thousand workers had gone on strike.Basic headline earnings per share fell 27 per cent in the year ended June 30 to 9,34 rand while turnover slipped to 60,15 billion rand from 64,55 billion rand.Analysts said the results were marginally below or equal to expectations.-Nampa-ReutersThe union said safety conditions were also worsening.They were also unhappy with Sasol’s refusal to allow unions access to an investigation into a fatal accident at a gas plant near Johannesburg that killed seven people, the union said.At 0721 GMT Sasol shares were down three per cent at 112 rand after the company also posted a fall in headline earnings.Headline earnings at Sasol fell in the last financial year due to the strong rand but the company said strong oil prices boosted second-half results.Sasol’s share price fell after the results, which were followed by news that a thousand workers had gone on strike.Basic headline earnings per share fell 27 per cent in the year ended June 30 to 9,34 rand while turnover slipped to 60,15 billion rand from 64,55 billion rand.Analysts said the results were marginally below or equal to expectations.-Nampa-Reuters