Trade union Solidarity will approach the High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday for the right of its 180 000 members to go on strike in solidarity with Sasol employees, who have been on strike since earlier this month.
This follows after the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) refused an application from Solidarity for all of its members to protest against white employees’ exclusion from the second phase of Sasol’s Khanyisa empowerment scheme.
Solidarity will ask that the Nedlac decision be revised and will bring the application to court in terms of Section 77 of the Labour Relations Act, which gives workers the right to participate in legal protest action for socioeconomic interests.
According to Solidary labour law services head Anton van der Bijl, the issue with Sasol has become bigger than only Sasol, affecting other members of the union in various major industries in South Africa.