UPDATE 1-White solidarity union in South Africa stages protest at Sasol

Workers from South Africa's mainly white Solidarity union staged a go-slow protest at the petrochemicals firm Sasol on Monday over a share scheme offered exclusively to black staff and said they would begin a full strike on Thursday.

The union said it would file a complaint to U.S. regulators over the "discriminative" share scheme. Sasol is the world leader in technology that converts coal and gas to fuel, and also operates in the United States.

"We have a staggered industrial action. Today, we have a go-slow. Our 6,300 members will carry out their duties but in a slow manner. We plan to ramp up to a full-blown strike on Thursday," said Dirk Hermann, Solidarity's chief executive.

"We are planning to lay a complaint over the scheme with U.S. regulators, this week or by early next week."

Sasol, which employs around 26,000 people in South Africa, said Solidarity had notified it on Monday of its intent to strike.

A Sasol spokesman said he would give an update on the go-slow later in the day.

The energy giant has sold 25 percent of its local operations to qualifying black employees, a foundation and the black public in a 21 billion rand ($1.42 billion) deal financed by the company.

Sasol has said the scheme is not a benefit but a mechanism designed to meet South Africa's rules on black economic empowerment.

Under the rules, South African companies are required to meet quotas on black ownership, employment and procurement as part of a drive to reverse decades of exclusion under apartheid.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)