What does it take to make men in suits sing the praises of the working man, even extolling as sacred his right to withhold labour? And what does it take to get workers literally singing the praises of the men in suits?
Answer: A World Cup construction site threatened by a strike.
When Sepp Blatter arrived in his white Mercedes at the Moses Mabhida Stadium site in Durban for the first time last week he was almost engulfed by overall-clad workers who feted the Fifa president with a line of honour, chants of 'Viva 2010' and a welcoming song.
It was all as if the little matter of strike action had never happened. The workers had returned to work only five days previously after coming to agreement in a pay dispute.
'I am filled with emotion to see the stadium site and especially to meet the workers,' Blatter said from a podium mounted at approximately where the centre circle will be for the 2.5 billion rand (HK$2.83billion) development. 'They are the heroes. This stadium will be a legacy for you and your families, your country and all of Africa. In such an achievement everybody is important but most of all the workers.'
The resolution of the Durban action, and of work stoppages at the Port Elizabeth and Nelspruit arenas, meant that most of the 10 arenas being prepared for the World Cup (five built from scratch, one major upgrade and four minor upgrades) were progressing as planned.
