New bid to get bus drivers moving

THE Department of Labour will facilitate a meeting between the employers and unions representing thousands of workers in the bus industry to find a solution.

Today’s meeting comes after negotiations between the five unions and employer organisations collapsed as the parties could not reach an agreement despite revising their demands and offers at the weekend.

Unions wanted a 12% wage increase, while the employer offered 8% in the first year and 8.5% in the second, on condition that they drop other demands, including in-sourcing of workers, dual-driver payment and night-shift pay. Workers are now demanding a 9.5% increase in the first year and 9% in the second.

This was also rejected, leading the unions to call for the intensifying of the strike which began a week ago.

South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) spokesperson Zanele Sabela said: “The CCMA will not attend the meeting tomorrow (today), but this doesn’t mean they are no longer part of the talks.

“We have lowered our demands and will not do that again; we stand by 9.5%.

“They are provided for as per the bargaining agreement, so we don’t understand why employers wouldn’t want to in-source. We hope the meeting will come with a solution.”

The government has pleaded with unions and employers in the bus sector to urgently end the strike.

“The constitutional right allows workers to strike. We would like to appeal that they do it within the law. We appeal for tolerance, particularly to the taxi industry,” said government spokesperson Phumla Williams.