OUTSIDE VIEW
ANDILE KHUMALO: Strikes can thwart black ambition to control the economy
Industrial action could be death knell for many in bus industry
A few weeks ago, and conveniently ahead of the Easter weekend rush, Numsa issued Comair with a 48-hour notice to strike on the basis that their members were unhappy with wage disparities at the airline. According to the union, this is a matter that had been outstanding since late last year, and one shouldn't read too much into the timing of the attempted strike. Yeah, right. The strike did not go ahead thanks to a successful labour court interdict application from Comair, but it did get me thinking about the impact of strikes on businesses, especially black-owned businesses. Back in the day, strikes and stayaways, as I knew them, were somewhat of a proxy for the struggle. Our parents were standing up against a system that abused them in refusing to provide dignified work for dignified pay. Even in recent times, I don't think too many black people sympathise much when a "white" company is on the receiving end of a strike. But, in reality, strikes and labour demands affect all employe...
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