Minister urged to end bus strike

Wage negotiations still deadlocked

FRUSTRATED bus unions are calling for Transport Minister Blade Nzimande to intervene in the wage negotiations which have led to an over week-long strike.

Labour unions, SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu), National Union of Metalworkers of SA,Transport and Allied Workers Union of SA, Transport and Omnibus Workers’ Union and Tirisano Transport Workers Union have been engaging with the employers’ union for over three months with no agreement.

On Tuesday, Labour Department Minister Mildred Oliphant met with both parties in an effort to break the deadlock; however, no settlement was reached.

Satawu spokesperson Zanele Sabela said the unions had lowered their demands from a 9.5% across the board (ATB) wage increase for the first year and 8.5% for the second year to 9% for year one and 8.5 for year two.

She said employers, on the other hand proposed 9% for the first year and 8% for the following year. The increases would be paid as from May 1 instead of April, 1.

“This effectively means workers would be paid the increased wage for 11 months only.

“Unions are now in the process of facilitating intervention by Nzimande because as Minister of Transport, he is in charge of paying subsidies to bus companies and therefore has leverage over them. Meantime, the strike continues,” she said.

Nzimande’s spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said the minister was not directly involved in negotiations between labour and employees.

“Minister Mildred Oliphant is leading a team of capable men and women whose mandate is to make sure that the protest is brought to an end urgently in order to make sure that the bus industry remains one of the reliable, attractive and safe public transport modes,” he said.

He said Nzimande was monitoring the process very closely and was yet to receive a report through appropriate government platforms on the developments in the negotiations process.

“The only reasonable outcome that the minister expects from the negotiations is the immediate resumption of bus operations while labour and employees are finding a permanent solution to the impasse,” said Mnisi.

Initially, the union’s wanted 12% ATB. The strike has affected hundreds of thousands of commuters.

Golden Arrow Bus Services (Gabs) transports about 230 000, while 72 000 MyCiTi commuters have also been affected daily.

Gabs has asked that ticket holders keep their tickets, which will then be extended when the service resumes.

MyCiTi has also informed commuters that the monthly packages would be extended equal to the number of days the strike action lasts.

The number of days would be determined once the strike had ended.

Janine Myburgh, Cape Chamber of Commerce president, said productivity was falling and there would be disruptions if key staff could not get to work.

“In factories, for instance, if too many staff are late or absent, production lines cannot be started,” she said.