2010 W/Cup: S/A Seeks Ways To End Strike

South African trade unions say they will consult their members over the latest offer to end a dispute which has halted work at 2010 World Cup stadiums.

The strike is still on, even though employers say that a framework agreement has been reached after lengthy talks.

About 70,000 miners embarked on a strike last Wednesday, demanding a 13% pay rise.

Tidesports source in Johannesburg says a decision is expected this week.

There are fears that the strike, called by the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), which includes construction workers, could delay the completion of Gauteng’s new high speed rail, Guatrain, which is being built specifically for the World Cup.

It was due to be completed just two weeks before the first game in June 2010.

The stadiums are due to be completed by December and before the strike, work was on schedule.

Five new stadiums are being built and five existing ones upgraded.

It is not clear what the framework agreement entails, but employers had been offering a 10% rise, against the 13% demanded by the unions.