On July 15, 70,000 construction workers in South Africa building the 2010 World Cup soccer stadiums won an important strike victory. As a result of the week-long action, employers agreed to a 12 percent raise in wages.
The contract guarantees the same wage levels on all civil engineering projects. It also covers so-called “casual workers” working on the soccer stadiums who are not formally organized.
The stadiums in South Africa are supposed to be done in December. If they are not, the building contractors will pay heavy fines and World Cup officials will have a hard time getting ready for the tournament.
The militant strike skillfully took advantage of construction for the international event to strengthen the position of building trades workers in South Africa. There is no clause in the agreement from stopping the union, the National Mineworkers Union, from striking again before the 2010 stadiums are complete.
