Sactwu Good Hope Centre strike plan

THE SA Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) has set the wheels in motion for a general strike because it has been denied use of the Good Hope Centre – home of the union’s annual Spring Queen Pageant.

The union had been told by the City on March 18 that it could no longer use the venue where the pageant had been held for many years.

Union officials said yesterday a Section 77 notice would be filed with the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac).

“Should the Nedlac engagement process fail, we intend to call a general industry-wide strike,” said Sactwu general secretary Andre Kriel.

According to him 85 percent of Sactwu members had mandated the union leadership to proceed with mobilisation for a strike.

Sactwu was offered alternative venues such as Belhar Indoor Centre, the Cape Town International Convention centre and the GrandWest Arena as alternatives for the Spring Queen Pageant, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.

Kriel said the event attracted up to 8 000 people, a crowd the Good Hope Centre could accommodate, while a venue such as GrandWest Arena could accommodate only about 4 500 people.

The Spring Queen is not just about a beauty pageant, but central to the union’s “Save Jobs” campaign which promoted local manufacturing and job creation, said Kriel, adding that the fact that union members would be willing to sacrifice part of of their wages to go on strike showed how important the issue was to them.

Mayco member for Tourism, Events and Economic Development Garreth Bloor said Film Afrika had hired the Good Hope Centre until December.

“We have been engaging with the Sactwu leadership and we will continue to do so until a suitable venue has been secured,” said Bloor, adding that the hiring of a facility does not require a public participation process.

“We respect Sactwu’s right to protest, as long as this is done peacefully. Our suggested alternative venues and offers to help remain on the table,” he said. nicolette.dirk@inl.co.za

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