Luxury carmaker BMW’s main vehicle assembly plant in South Africa has been hit by a wage strike by the country’s biggest metalworkers union, Spokesperson Hailey Philander said on Monday.
“While our associates have been reporting for work, we have lost production since the strike commenced, “said Philander
Philander says this is as a number of suppliers to the plant have been affected.
She said production of around 700 vehicles was lost.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) launched the strike last Tuesday after pay talks with employer bodies reached a deadlock, raising fears the action would spill over and block supplies of parts to make new cars.
BMW operates its plant at Rosslyn, around 60 kilometres from the commercial city of Johannesburg.
Wage demands
Numsa has vowed to strike in the metals and engineering sector until its wage demand of an 8% increase is met.
Employers are offering a 4.4 % wage increase.
In the video below, striking union members say they will shut down the economy if employers do not meet them halfway.
