Bus strike continues as unions reject wage offer

Joint stand taken by members of Satawu’s Western Cape region

THE Transport and Omnibus Workers Union (Towu) has indicated that it will reject a proposed offer by the SA Road Passenger Bargaining Council (Sarpbac) and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration of 8.75% and 8.25% for the next two years.

Yesterday, spokesperson Chris Fredericks said the union rejected the offer at a meeting on Monday and sent Sarpbac a counter-proposal of increases of 9% and 8.5% for 2018 and 2019.

“We have sent the bargaining council our response and are waiting on other unions.”

Fredericks said the union was planning to hold marches in at least three provinces on Friday – the Western Cape, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.

“Things are quiet for now, but we are planning our march in the meantime. The march is to show our customers that the type of bosses we are dealing with are working in bad faith.

“In the meeting held on April 24, they indicated that they would put forward 9% and 8.5%, then in a meeting held last Thursday they said the 9% offer was never on the table. We are dealing with people who do not know what they want. As Towu, we want to see a settlement,” he said.

Fredericks said the union would not accept anything other than what they were demanding.

Towu’s rejection follows that of the Western Cape region of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union. Satawu regional spokesperson Faizel Williams said members were waiting for other provinces to make their stand.

However, Satawu national spokesperson Zanele Sabela said the union would wait until the end of today before announcing its decision. “The union is active in nine provinces and there are so many bus companies it is not possible for us to get to all of them (at this stage),” she said.

Meanwhile, Golden Arrow Bus Services (Gabs) said the strike was jeopardising the future of the bus industry.

“As the strike continues into its third week, one bus company has gone into business rescue and a second major company has agreed not to vote in the bargaining process as their only chance of remaining viable is dependent on being exempt from whatever increases are ultimately agreed to, no matter what,” said Gabs.

The national bus strike started on April 18 following a deadlock in a three-monthlong negotiation process.

PICTURE: DAVID RITCHIE/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) GATHERING DUST: A MyCiTi bus depot in Green Point. Unions are refusing to accept a pay offer of 8.75% for this year and 8.25% for next year, because they say the offer would mean dropping other demands, which include, among others, full pay for dual...