SA labour mediators go on strike

JOHANNESBURG – South Africa’s state-funded labour mediators, who usually work to end other people’s industrial disputes, went on strike yesterday after their own pay talks deadlocked.

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) has helped end a series of damaging strikes in the key gold mining and other industrial sectors in the past few weeks, but its own workers finally ran out of patience and walked out after the commission refused their pay demands. “They embarked on industrial action this morning.”They are picketing outside the offices of the CCMA in the various provinces,” acting director Mo Ally told Reuters.Ally said the commission would continue its work using part-time employees and contractors, but said some damage to the commission’s image was inevitable.”People say ‘You guys can’t resolve your own dispute’,” he said.”We’re not happy with the strike, but that’s their right.- Nampa-Reuters”They embarked on industrial action this morning.”They are picketing outside the offices of the CCMA in the various provinces,” acting director Mo Ally told Reuters.Ally said the commission would continue its work using part-time employees and contractors, but said some damage to the commission’s image was inevitable.”People say ‘You guys can’t resolve your own dispute’,” he said.”We’re not happy with the strike, but that’s their right.- Nampa-Reuters