The last weekend of the petrol strike left Witsies with a sigh of relief, with unions having accepted an 8.5% wage increase.
Although most Witsies weren’t affected by the strike as they were on vacation, they said they are relieved because it ended.
3rd year BSc (property studies) Bruce De Gauveia, said the strike didn’t affect him as he filled up his tank a day before the strike. But felt that the strike was necessary and the employers should have been given the percentage they demanded.
While Carovone Cleaning Services administrator, Charmaine Dorley, said although she wasn’t affected by the strike as she commutes to work by bus, she feels that strikes are not worth it, “ they strike demanding a certain percentage but don’t get it”.
Raeesah Shailan, 4th year BSc (quantity survey) student, “the strike end is a relief, was on holiday luckily, and filled up my car”.
36 year old Sonke gardener, Livhuwani Ravhura, said he didn’t feel the strike as he uses a train to work but is glad it ended.
Tens of thousands of Workers represented by National Petroleum Employers’ Association, the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union, the General Industries Workers Union of SA, the SA Chemical Workers Union and Solidarity began walking off the job on July 11, delaying deliveries and sparking panic buying at service stations in the economic hub of Gauteng province, which includes Johannesburg.
Employers made unions an offer of 10% wage increase for workers at the lowest level. However the strike ended with unions accepting 8.5 % increase.
