Striking Transnet workers reject latest offer

Protesting Transnet workers have welcomed the progress in their salary negotiations, but are not ready to accept the company’s latest offer.

The SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) and the United National Transport Union (Untu) told TimesLIVE there had been slight progress on Tuesday when picketing rules and picketing sites were agreed on after intervention from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). That had been placed as the number one item on the agenda.

Members of both unions, along with minority unions, are picketing outside Transnet’s central offices in Bluff, south of Durban, on Wednesday.

Untu members have been on strike since last Thursday after a breakdown in wage increase negotiations with Transnet, while Satawu members joined on Monday.

They confirmed the state-owned enterprise had made a slightly improved offer on Tuesday.

“Yesterday the offer was between 4% and 5%. We are standing there because it is a staggered approach in terms of the interests of the employees. The lowest earners will get 5%,” said Dan Khumalo, Untu deputy general secretary.

According to a Satawu statement, the offer stood at a 4.25% increase for those in first-line management (grade G and H), 4.5% for junior staff (grade I and J) and 5% for general workers and drivers (grade K and L).

Housing, medical aid, acting, standby and night shift allowances were all proposed to increase by 1%.

“The union is rejecting the so-called revised offer by the employer. The employer is insulting us and our members because they know very well the inflation rate is 7.6%, and what the employer is offering is way below the inflation rate,” reads the statement.

“It is in the interest of the organisation to rescue the sinking entity. Satawu wrote to the president, minister of finance and minister of public enterprises seeking intervention as it noticed the management does not have a plan to rescue the entity. However, we are not going to compromise the workers in the process.

“The employer must do the right thing. If it means management must not get the increment, so be it. Workers are the ones who are working very hard and generating profit for the entity. Satawu and the employer will continue to negotiate.

“Our door is open for negotiations, and our members will continue striking until the employer gives us something reasonable.”

Untu said they had tabled another proposal on Wednesday morning with slightly adjusted demands.

“We hope that with our proposal this morning maybe the company will come to the party because we’re in a position to lower our demand (from 13%), but we’re saying anything above inflation will be an offer that is acceptable and we will be able to engage and convince our members to take that,” said Khumalo.

“We’re commencing with the intervention by the CCMA with the hope there will be a better offer tabled today, or the CCMA will be able to advise the parties accordingly.”

Minority unions, including the Revolutionary Transport Union of SA (Retusa), said they joined the two unions at the negotiating table because their grievances were mutual.

“We have mutual interests because whatever they get is what we will get, so there was no need for us to go to work while they are here,” said Retusa chair Sandile Gasa.

He said they had also lowered their demands in line with the two main unions, but were not impressed with Transnet being able to pay senior managers bonuses while pleading poverty to the workers.

This is a developing story. 

TimesLIVE