South African union plans mass protest over unemployment

SOUTH Africa's largest union is calling a nationwide strike on Wednesday to protest government's failure in stemming rampant youth unemployment.
The 340,000-member National Union of Mineworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), which has emerged as the government's biggest critic, has called for marches in major cities across the country, including the economic hub of Johannesburg.
"We are tired of political parties and business organisations that often refer to youth unemployment as a ticking time-bomb but do little to address the problem," said Irvin Jim, NUMSA general secretary.
"The majority of the people who are out of jobs are the children of our members. Some have never worked in their entire lives."
NUMSA, which largely represents workers in the automative and metal sector, is at odds with the African National Congress (ANC) government over how to tackle youth joblessness.
It opposes the government's youth wage subsidy legislation, which will incentivise companies that employ young people, preferring a job-seekers grant or basic income grant.