World Cup Stadium Construction Hits Labor Snag As Workers Seek better Wages

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/11496

Construction of stadiums in advance of South Africa hosting the World Cup has come to a halt as workers demand better wages. Jesse Russell reports:

In June 2010 South Africa will be hosting the World Cup and in advance of those games the country needs to build stadiums and rail stations. Roughly 70,000 workers involved in those projects have been on strike for two days demanding a 13 percent pay increase. Employers are offering the workers 10.4 percent. The construction is currently scheduled to be completed by mid-December and a prolonged labor confrontation could delay the project. It is the first time the African continent has won the opportunity to host the World Cup. To prepare five stadiums are being built in South Africa in addition to upgrades to five current stadiums. One 68-000 seat stadium is already behind schedule due to two previous strikes by construction workers.

[tabatha]

1. photo

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ndofaya/3701128396/