Industry spokesperson Attie Higgs said progress had been made on several non-wage issues, but workers remain firm on their 10% wage increase demands. According to reports, Dunlop, Continental and Goodyear had made a 7.5% offer, while Bridgestone offered a 7% wage increase.

“We want to force employers to improve their offer because the industry has been reporting good profits over the past three years. We are hopeful of a significant wage increase,” a NUMSA spokesperson said.

Higgs refutes those claims, saying that there had been little growth and that, over the past three to four years, the industry marketshare had dropped as a result of imports.

Higgs said the short-term impact of the strike would be limited, but an extended strike would have severe implications.