No end in sight to bus strike

Commuters are expected to continue scrabbling for alternative modes of transport as unions intensify the bus strike after a deadlock in wage negotiations on Friday.

Zanele Sabela, spokesperson for SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), said the strike continues today. She added that the unions “have our doors open for when they [the employer associations] request another meeting for negotiations”.

The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) facilitated the two-day talks after the workers from more than 60 bus companies affiliated with the five unions involved – Satawu, Transport and Allied Workers’ Union SA, Transport and Omnibus Workers’ Union, National Union of Metalworkers SA and Tirisano Transport Workers Union – embarked on a national strike on Wednesday.

This is after wage negotiations with employer associations – the Commuter Bus Employers Organisation and SA Bus Employers Association – deadlocked.

A statement on behalf of all five unions read: “Unions collectively have demonstrated a willingness to negotiate in good faith and with an intervention to find a speedy resolution to the strike and as such the unions were willing to move from their positions as negotiations are a form of give and take … however, since [Friday] employers have adopted a very provocative attitude which constitutes an insult to workers.”

According to the unions, the employers agreed to the CCMA mediators’ proposal of an 8% increase in the first year and 8.5% in the second year on condition that the unions drop all the other core demands which included the dual driver payment, insourcing, and the payment of night shift hours.

The unions tried to improve on the mediators’ proposal by adding an extra 1%. However, the employers rejected that.

The unions have called on the commuters to understand their plight and asked for their patience and full support during the strike. They also called on the departments of transport and labour to intervene and ensure that a settlement is found as soon as possible.