Retail motor industry gears up for a country-wide strike

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 Metal workers union Numsa says it has served a 48-hour strike notice on the Retail Motor Industry organisation.

In terms of the notice more than 200 000 members who work in the automotive after market, like petrol stations, panel beaters and component suppliers, will down tools on Monday.

The CEO of the Retail Motor Industry, Jakkie Olivier, says the strike notice is untimely.

He spoke to Algoa FM News on Friday morning.

"We were surprised to receive this 48 hour notice on the even of formal mediation which was arranged with a facilitator, however we now need to deal with the situation. We will meet with the union to discuss strike/picketing rules to prepare for the strike on Monday" Olivier said.

Olivier says the strike will be widely felt.

"It is quite a big, diverse and complex industry. If you think about it, there are 18 000 registered businesses within this bargaining unit employing collectively 280 000 employees"