Complete the following form and we’ll send you an email with the link to the petition page of the White House and complete instructions for the completion of it.

The USA announced on 8 March 2018 that import tariffs will be introduced on steel and aluminium. These tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminium will have very adverse consequences for the South African steel and aluminium industry. The South African government’s efforts to negotiate exemption from these tariffs was unsuccessful and the tariffs came into effect on 23 March 2018.

Employees will be affected the worst in the Metal and Engineering Industries, and even in the Automotive Industry. Sources in the industry expect 7 500 job losses. Solidarity is already working on contingency plans to:

• relieve social needs that might exist due to large-scale retrenchments; and
• to develop long term plans to rebuild communities and industries that are affected.

Meanwhile, the trade union is launching a major campaign to see how the situation can be managed and saved on local and international level for the benefit of all the affected workers. This includes:

Locally:

• Ongoing liaison with the Department of Trade and Industry.
• Liaison with employers and employees in the Metal and Engineering Industry.
• Liaison with American delegates in South Africa.

Internationally:

• Liaison with international labour organisations and trade unions.
• A petition is registered on the White House’s website in the USA. This petition is addressed to President Trump and in it he is requested to reconsider trade tariffs for the steel industry.

BECOME INVOLVED!
Solidarity has registered a petition against President Donald Trump’s decision about steel trade tariffs on the website of the White House in America. As many people as possible must sign the petition before the closing date of 27 June 2018.

People working in South Africa are invited to support colleagues in the Metal and Engineering Industry by participating in our international petition to the White House.

We can show that we as South African workers can stand up against international trade bullies.

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