South African labour federation COSATU said on Thursday it may strike during the soccer World Cup over sharp power price increases by power utility Eskom if a mediation meeting planned for June 14 fails.
Under South African labour law, a union applies to the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) for permission to strike, but the arbitration body is obliged to try to resolve any dispute before giving the green light to industrial action.
Zwelinzima Vavi, Secretary-General of the powerful trade union ally of the ruling ANC, said COSATU will meet meet Nedlac officials on June 14 and will strike if it is not satisfied by the outcome of the meeting.
"A strike can be expected immediately afterwards... The section 77 1d (of the labour act), gives us the right to strike within 48 hours and we may just do that," he told Reuters.
The World Cup, the first on African soil, runs for a month from June 11 and is expected to attract up to 370,000 foreign visitors. (Reporting by Peroshni Govender, writing by Agnieszka Flak)
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