South African union blames FIFA for World Cup security strike South African union blames FIFA for World Cup security strike

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) on Wednesday blamed FIFA and the South African World Cup local organizing committee (LOC) for the trouble surrounding the strike by thousands of security guards at the tournament in the country.

Workers employed by Stallion Security this week went on strike at FIFA World Cup stadiums in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg. World Cup matches were unaffected as the work was taken over by thousands of South African police.

In a statement to Xinhua on Wednesday, SATAWU said FIFA and the LOC "are fully responsible for the fiasco that is unfolding with regard to the employment of security workers for the World Cup".

It said these bodies have created a situation which is undermining South Africa's national pride, and they should be made liable.

SATAWU said FIFA and the LOC ignored organized labor during the tender process, and appointed service providers who are non compliant with South African law.

FIFA and the LOC are dodging their responsibility by referring to the dispute in Stallion Security as an "internal labor relations matter", the union said.

"They signed the contract. They must now ensure legal compliance."

The union described the situation as an attack on the working class and the poor by capitalist forces who do not respect the national pride of South Africa, and who have put their narrow profit interests first.