TradePort keen to end Nehawu strike
THE Dube TradePort yesterday said it remained committed to resuming negotiations with the National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) to end the strike that hit its operations last week.
The two parties would meet today to engage further on Nehawu demands after the union suspended its action on Sunday, pending negotiations.
The strike began after the company Dube TradePort rejected the union demand of an inflation plus 6% salary increase, which totals a 12% increase, or a R12 000 minimum wage.
Nehawu also wanted the introduction of a 13th cheque, a R1 500 housing allowance per month, and the introduction of medical aid in which the employer contributes 50%.
Dube Tradeport said the demand was not affordable and it counter-offered an 8% increase instead.
Nehawu provincial secretary Phakama Ndunakazi said the union suspended the strike to make way for negotiations.
Ndunakazi, however, warned that if negotiations failed to resolve the impasse, the union could reinstate the strike.
“Currently there is no agreement with the employer,” Ndunakazi explained. “We are going to resume to see if we can resolve our differences. We agreed to suspend the strike action yesterday for seven days, so we are not going on strike until we have exhausted all possible avenues with the employer.”
The Dube TradePort also said it was committed to the talks with the union, but said it would not be commenting any further as “we are bound by a recognition agreement, which prevents both Nehawu and Dube TradePort Corporation from making unilateral press statements related to the industrial action.”
The Dube TradePort is a business entity of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government and is designated as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), geared to promote foreign and local investment.
However, the manufacturing and air logistics economic zone said its operations would not be disrupted.
“Dube TradePort Corporation wishes to assure all its stakeholders that trade union Nehawu withdrew its intent to strike yesterday ... Should a strike action take place in the future, we are confident that all the necessary contingencies will be taken to ensure that business continues with minimal disruption. However ... we are still open to negotiations with the union and are determined to resolve the impasse.”