National Union of Metalworkers (NUMSA) spokesperson Mziwakhe Hlangani said workers were angry because employers had refused to permanently employ 300 people who had worked on a temporary basis for the past five years. Contract workers, according to the union, cannot be employed for longer than six months without being afforded basic benefits under the country’s Labour Relations Act.
NUMSA is also in dispute with Goodyear over alleged misuse of workers on internship programs in the company.