Chrome Strike in South Africa Won by Affiliate NUMSA

A bitter chrome dispute in South Africa in which security guards fired tear gas at strikers of affiliate National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) ended last month. Ferrochrome workers at Rustenburg and Wonderkop won remuneration, leave and attendance bonuses and provident fund benefits. The strike against Xstrata plc. began 29 July and involved over 1,000 NUMSA members. At the strike’s outset, guards fired tear gas at 250 protestors in Rustenburg who were trying to preventstrikebreakers from entering the worksite.