Rough ride to continue for bus commuters

No end to strike after mediated wage increase discussions fail

BUS commuters are in for a rough week after talks between unions and employers collapsed. A mediation meeting facilitated by the CCMA and the bargaining council fell through when parties couldn’t agree on offers on the table.

Employers apparently denied that they had put a 9% offer on the table and instead reverted to their original offer of an 8% increase in the first year and 8.5% increase in the second year. Workers then also reverted to their original offer of a 12% hike.

The employers involved were the South African Bus Employers Association and the Commuter Bus Employers Organisation.

“We are shocked because we tried to negotiate this and were thrown this curve ball,” said Tony Franks, spokesperson for the Transport and Omnibus Workers Union.

After the employers gave an ultimatum of a 9% increase for the first year and 8.5% in the second year last week, they told unions yesterday they hadn’t.

“We were surprised when they said that because we clearly heard this from them,” Franks said. He added they would have to go back to their members.

South African Transport and Allied Workers Union spokesperson Zanele Sabela accused employers of negotiating in bad faith.

“I am lost for words. It’s bad faith really. It’s just bad faith,” Sabela said.

The employer parties of the South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council said it was “regrettable” they could not come to any form of resolution.

“We do understand that both parties have communicated their respective positions. We are still interested in finding a resolution that all parties can afford,” said spokesperson John Dammert.

He said this would hit South African commuters hard.

“Millions of South African commuters’ woes will ultimately extend to increased ticket costs once services resume if labour’s unrealistic demands are met,” he said.

The meeting held in Johannesburg was nearly five hours long. The strike started on April 18 and is now in its 16th day, forcing commuters to seek alternative transport.

Various bus companies have halted their operations, including Megabus; Gautrain Buses; Greyhound; Golden Arrow; MyCiTi Bus in Cape Town; Rea Vaya in Johannesburg; Buscor in Mpumalanga; Bojanala in the North West; Algoa Bus in Port Elizabeth; Mayibuye in East London; Go George in George; Areyeng in Tshwane; Mgqibelo in Sedibeng; Lowveld Bus Company in Limpopo; PAL Bus; and Mphakathi in Mpumalanga, among others.

Some of the other demands include that bus drivers are paid in full for the hours they spend on a bus as an alternate driver; a subsistence allowance for drivers doing long-distance sleep-overs; compliance with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act for night shift allowance; and a special allowance for workers who qualify to drive the multiple coach buses.

WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT BOTH PARTIES HAVE COMMUNICATED THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS. WE ARE STILL INTERESTED