Toyota shuts South African car factory for 4 days October 4, 2012 - 22:12 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Toyota Motor Corp said it was forced to shut its South African car factory for four days because of an illegal pay strike, the first sign of wildcat mine stoppages spreading into other parts of Africa's biggest economy, Reuters reported. Union leaders at the Japanese car giant's Durban plant said workers would return on Friday, Oct 5 after winning a 5.4 percent pay rise inspired in part by a hefty increase won last month by strikers at Lonmin's Marikana platinum mine. "The circumstances are not the same as what is happening in the mines," said Mbuso Ngubane of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA). "But it does send a message. It does have an impact to some extent on other workers getting agitated." After two months of unrest, at least 75,000 miners, or 15 percent of the sector's workforce, are on strike, burdening already sluggish growth only three months before an internal leadership vote in the ruling African National Congress (ANC). President Jacob Zuma is favorite to win re-election, teeing him up for a second five-year term as South African president in 2014, but the turbulence strengthens the hand of those who say he is unfit to run a sophisticated emerging economy. Kumba Iron Ore, one of the world's top 10 producers, said it had suspended production at its huge Sishen mine after striking employees blocked access to the pit. Partner news  Top stories Amy Elliott, chief administrative officer of the Oklahoma medical examiner's office, said 51 were confirmed dead. An Islamist insurgency, once confined largely to the republic of Chechnya, has spread across the North Caucasus in recent years. Earlier, at least five Azerbaijan soldiers were killed and six seriously injured when their vehicle rammed into a tree and overturned. Among its provisions are bans on child marriage and the traditional practice of selling and buying women to settle disputes.   Partner news |  Latest news U.S. report says religious freedom still restricted in Turkey  Despite these provisions, the report noted, the government provides favorable and prejudicial treatment to Sunni Islamic groups.European Commission urges EU-wide exchange of income data “I want to see this principle of automatic exchange become the standard at international level as well,” Barroso said.Cooperation between Armenian, Artsakh police discussed President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan met Tuesday, May 21, with Armenian Police chief Vladimir Gasparyan.Expert says Erdoğan’s visit to U.S. unsuccessful Large-scale hostilities are reported in Syria these days, with success on the side of government forces, Sargis Grigoryan said. |
