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July 8 - Today marks the date that over 70,000 construction workers in South Africa lay down their tools in protest that their demands for a wage increase have not been met.
The greatest fear is that infrastructure being built to meet tough deadlines for the World Cup 2010 event will not be completed on time. Many of the striking workers are involved in projects to build stadiums and the Gautrain that is meant to transport the hundreds of thousands of visitors to hosting cities in South Africa.
The workers are demanding a 13% wage increase but employers are only prepared to go as high as 10%.
Many are accusing trade unions of taking advantage of the pressure that the organizers of the World Cup have in meeting the deadlines.
However, the spokesperson for the National Union of Mineworkers, which oversees the rights of South African construction workers, said: "Why should it be workers and workers alone that are worried about the impact that the strike is going to have on investment that happens in South Africa? We are simply saying those that actually benefit from that investment that comes with a successful 2010 must actually ensure that our workers benefit, and the people of South Africa benefit."
Some observers are worried that international investors will be wary of investing their money in South Africa if they see that the country comes to a standstill at the whim of the trade unions.
The SA Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors, said that it would do its best to ensure that all World Cup projects would be completed in a timely fashion.
Learn more with our 2010 World Cup betting guide.
Check out our World Cup soccer gambling section.
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