Nearly 70,000 union members as part of the National Union of Mineworkers are expected to go on strike in South Africa which may lead to many global repercussions in the manufacturing productions business. One of the main reasons for the impending series of strikes is due to rising consumer prices that has led to record increases in inflation rates to nearly 4.2% in the last month. As a result labor unions are asking for wage increases nearly double that of the inflation rates while employers are only willing to negotiate a marginal increase in relation to the inflation rate. NUM for example is asking for 14% in wage increases. Industries expected to be affected include the largest global vehicle fuel producers as well as the largest producers of glossy papers and gold mines.
See "South African Wage Disputes May Stoke Inflation, Affect Mines", Gordon Bell, San Francisco Chronicle, July 7, 2011