Strike Barometer
Strikes tell us much about the state of the class struggle,
including how militant and organised workers are,
the main issues they are mobilising around and which workers are leading struggles against the bosses.
Strike statistics and analyses are critical for anyone interested in building the workersâ movement and working class struggle.
Select a year:
33
Strikes in 2025
4
Protected strikes 2025
29
Wildcat strikes 2025
13
Workplace-related action 2025
Note: More strikes may have occurred than those recorded, particularly short-term strikes by non-unionised workers that are not reported on official union social media pages or union WhatsApp groups. This barometer is produced in the spirit that even incomplete strike information is more useful than none.
Strikes by Sector
Strikes by Province
Protected vs Wildcat
Strikes per Month
Strikes by Union
Top 10 Reasons for Striking
Click on an entry for more details
Start Date | End Date | City | Province | Employer | Sector | Union | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2025-04-23 | 2025-04-23 | Tshwane | Gauteng | National Department of Basic Education | Education | SADTU | Protected |
2025-04-16 | 2025-04-16 | Ngcobo | Eastern Cape | Dr AB Xuma Local Municipality | Small Business | Workers and employers | Protected |
2025-04-15 | 2025-04-15 | Nkandla | KwaZulu-Natal | Nkandla Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college | Education | Workers | Wildcat |
2025-04-15 | 2025-04-15 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | City of Johannesburg | Education | SACECD | Workplace-related action |
2025-04-14 | 2025-04-14 | Bojanala district | North West | Tharisa Minerals | Mining | Workers | Wildcat |
2025-04-10 | 2025-04-10 | Mbombela | Mpumalanga | Provincial Departments of Health and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs | Provincial Government | NUPSAW | Protected |
2025-04-08 | 2025-04-08 | East London | Eastern Cape | Buffalo City municipality | Local Government | SAMWU | Wildcat |
2025-04-03 | 2025-04-03 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | City of Johannesburg | Local Government | SAMWU | Wildcat |
2025-04-03 | 2025-04-03 | Port Shepstone | KwaZulu-Natal | Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality | Local Government | SAMWU | Wildcat |
2025-04-01 | 2025-04-01 | Tshwane | Gauteng | M.J. Laboratories | Laboratories | SARUW | Wildcat |
2025-03-26 | East London | Eastern Cape | Amatola Water Board | Water Board | SAMWU | Wildcat | |
2025-03-25 | 2025-03-25 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | Airports Company South Africa | Aviation | Workers | Workplace-related action |
2025-03-21 | Provincial nature reserves | Mpumalanga | Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency | Tourism | NEHAWU | Wildcat | |
2025-03-21 | 2025-03-21 | Secunda | Mpumalanga | Domestic work bosses and the Police | Domestic Work | UDWOSA | Workplace-related action |
2025-03-19 | Germiston | Gauteng | Ekurhuleni municipality | Local Government | SAMWU | Wildcat | |
2025-03-19 | 2025-03-25 | Nationwide | National | South African Airways | Aviation | SAAPA, NTM | Wildcat |
2025-03-13 | Kimberley | Northern Cape | Sol Plaatje Municipality | Local Government | Workers | Wildcat | |
2025-03-11 | 2025-03-11 | Tshwane | Gauteng | Pick 'n Pay | Retail | Workers | Wildcat |
2025-03-11 | Lichtenburg | North West | Ditsobotla municipality | Local Government | SAMWU | Wildcat | |
2025-03-10 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | Johannesburg Metrobus | Transport | SAMWU | Wildcat | |
2025-03-10 | 2025-03-10 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | City of Johannesburg | Local Government | DEMAWUSA | Wildcat |
2025-03-07 | 2025-03-07 | Cape Town | Western Cape | Western Cape Provincial Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment | Provincial Government | NUPSAW | Wildcat |
2025-03-06 | 2025-03-06 | Tshwane | Gauteng | Tshwane Affected Operations Investment | Transport | NUMSA | Workplace-related action |
2025-03-04 | 2025-03-06 | Tshwane | Gauteng | Board of Healthcare Funders | Health | COSATU | Workplace-related action |
2025-03-04 | 2025-03-04 | Tshwane | Gauteng | Tshwane Metro Police Department | Local Government | SAMWU | Wildcat |
2025-03-03 | Nqanqarhu | Eastern Cape | Maclear public hospital | Health | PSA | Wildcat | |
2025-02-27 | 2025-02-27 | Pietermaritzburg | KwaZulu-Natal | Provincial Government | Provincial Government | NEHAWU | Workplace-related action |
2025-02-25 | Port Shepstone | KwaZulu-Natal | Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality | Local Government | SAMWU | Wildcat | |
2025-02-22 | Mahikeng | North West | North West Parks and Tourism Board | Tourism | NEHAWU | Wildcat | |
2025-02-21 | 2025-02-21 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | Arcelor Mittal South Africa | Steel | NUMSA | Workplace-related action |
2025-02-19 | 2025-02-19 | Cape Town | Western Cape | National Department of Finance | All sectors | COSATU, SAFTU | Workplace-related action |
2025-02-13 | 2025-02-13 | Gqeberha | Eastern Cape | Dormac | Engineering | Ibhayi Workers' Forum | Workplace-related action |
2025-02-12 | 2025-02-12 | Tshwane | Gauteng | North West Transport Investment | Transport | SATAWU | Wildcat |
2025-02-01 | 2025-03-03 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | Mega Express (Gautrain Bus Service) | Transport | SAMWU | Wildcat |
2025-01-31 | 2025-01-31 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | Department of Health | Health | SAMATU, SAEPU | Workplace-related action |
2025-01-23 | 2025-01-23 | Lichtenburg | North West | Ditsobotla municipality | Local Government | SAMWU | Wildcat |
2025-01-23 | 2025-01-23 | Tshwane | Gauteng | City of Tshwane | Transport | PWEHA | Wildcat |
2025-01-20 | Gqeberha | Eastern Cape | Dora Nginza public hospital | Health | DENOSA, NUPSAW | Wildcat | |
2025-01-20 | 2025-02-06 | Bizana | Eastern Cape | Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Regional Hospital | Health | DENOSA, NUPSAW, NEHAWU, PSA | Wildcat |
2025-01-19 | 2025-01-24 | Provincial nature reserves | Mpumalanga | Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency | Tourism | NEHAWU | Wildcat |
2025-01-13 | 2025-01-13 | Gqeberha | Eastern Cape | Eastern Cape Department of Health | Health | NUPSAW | Workplace-related action |
2025-01-09 | 2025-01-09 | Gqeberha | Eastern Cape | Eastern Cape Department of Health | Health | NUPSAW | Workplace-related action |
2025-01-09 | 2025-01-13 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | Mega Express (Gautrain Bus Service) | Transport | SAMWU | Wildcat |
2025-01-08 | Daveyton, Wattville, Benoni | Gauteng | Provincial Department of Co-operative Governance | Provincial Government | Workers | Wildcat | |
2025-01-06 | 2025-01-06 | Bhisho | Eastern Cape | Eastern Cape Department of Health | Health | Workers | Workplace-related action |
2025-01-06 | eThekwini | KwaZulu-Natal | Bidvest South African Container Depot | Shipping | NUMSA | Protected |