70.000 workers of the BWI affiliated NUM, BCAWU & SABAWO are continuing their struggle for living wages. The unions have agreed to meet with the Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana on Thursday to discuss a possible solution to the nationwide strike.

"Construction workers are not able to move out of the poverty wages. While receiving a wage increase of 8 % last year the average inflation rate for 2008 was 11,5 %. This means that workers can afford less goods despite an increase in income. With the cpi at 8% (May 2009) food inflation is at 12.1% and public transport at 14.6%. The demand by striking workers for a 13% increase in wages is completely reasonable.", says a report published by our campaign "Decent work towards and beyond 2010"

The report also shows how the profits of a small group of companies winning the majority of the public contracts have sky rocketed over the past few years.

Read the full report by clicking the link on the right.