Agreement reached but Numsa keeps strike brakes on

SECRETARY of the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) Irvin Jim yesterday defiantly announced that the bus strike will go on, despite the majority of unions signing a deal.

“Three unions decided to sign an agreement. As far as Numsa is concerned, the strike continues. We know this will cause problems but we are a worker-controlled union,” he told reporters in Joburg.

Numsa and the Transport and Services Workers Union (Taswu) have rejected the 9 percent wage deal signed by the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu), Transport and Allied Workers Union of SA (Tawusa) and Transport and Allied Workers Union (Tawu).

Jim rubbished a joint announcement by Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant and Satawu secretary Zenzo Mahlangu earlier that the strike was effectively over after three out of five unions had signed the wage deal.

He added that Oliphant and the other unions were not speaking on behalf of Numsa members. “As Numsa, we will go back to to our members tomorrow and get a mandate from them,” said Jim.

“If the minister communicates a message that the strike is over, we reject that with the contempt that it deserves. They can sign as much as they want… we are accountable to our members.”

He decried working conditions that still needed to be addressed by employers, and said the government needed to do its part to ensure the sector is transformed.The industrial action, which affected commuter bus services, especially long-distance services, began on Wednesday.

There were long queues at bus stations as commuters, in possession of paid bus tickets, were left stranded.

Earlier three of the five unions signed a 9 percent wage increase agreement with employers. Mahlangu said a one-year agreement was signed, which was binding to all of the unions.

“Buses are out there moving,” Mahlangu said.

“Hours, definition of nightshift allowance and other allowances have been increased by 10 percent. “Other issues on basic conditions such as relief drivers would be engaged on at next meeting. Such issues would be ironed out then,” said Mahlangu, speaking to reporters in Joburg.

Oliphant said the national agreement superseded any agreement signed at company level.

She said that some employers had pushed for an agreement to be signed separately at a provincial level, and she had advised the negotiators to be guided by the constitution of the bargaining council.

“I was told that the Numsa shop stewards had signed for 8.5 percent but their secretary in the meeting this morning said such an agreement had been withdrawn.

“Since the national agreement has been signed by a majority of the unions, it will override any agreement at the lower level by shop stewards,” she added.

Alt hough ne got i at i ons would be held at a central bargaining level, there would be issues that were relevant for discussions at provincial level, she said.

The industrial action, which began on Wednesday, affected many commuters who were preparing to head for home and other destinations for the Easter weekend.

There were long queues at bus stations as the frustrated commuters, who were in possession of paid bus tickets, were left stranded. – ANA