Banking sector strike called off

The Labour Court in Johannesburg has interdicted South African Society of Banking Officials (SASBO) 's planned nationwide protest. Judge Hilary Rabkin-Naicker says the unions failed to comply with section 77 of the Labour Relations Act. She says that COSATU and its affiliate SASBO should not entice workers to participate in the strike as it is deemed unlawful. The matter comes after Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) applied for an urgent interdict to stop the protest action by COSATU and SASBO. BUSA argued that the period between the notice to the National Economic Development Labour Council and the protest action did not satisfy the requirements of a protected action. SASBO's Deputy General Secretary Ben Venter says they are very disappointed at the ruling and they will review the full judgement and consider their legal options going forward.