Transnet has urged striking workers unions to table their demands, in a bid to bring an end to the impasse after they rejected the employer’s revised offer of up to 5% wage increases.
Today, the troubled state-owned freight and rail logistics company will reconvene negotiations with its two recognised workers unions as the strike has been going on for a week.
The conciliation talks are being facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
The unions are demanding double-digits wage increases of between 12% and 13%, but have indicated that they would consider an offer above the inflation rate of 7.6%.
Transnet spokesperson Ayanda Shezi said the company was committed to finding a speedy resolution to end the strike that had crippled economic activity.
“Transnet is hopeful that the unions will formally table their position, to enable the company to assess its feasibility, taking into account affordability and sustainability imperatives for the business, balanced with the needs of employees,” Shezi said.
“Transnet remains committed to a speedy resolution to the current impasse, to enable the business to focus its attention on the sustainable turnaround and improvement of operations.”
On Monday, the United National Transport Union (Untu) and the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) rejected a revised wage offer of between 4.25% and 5%.
This was not a formal offer from Transnet in writing but rather a position that was presented to labour by the commissioner facilitating the section 150 CCMA-facilitated process.
Untu general secretary Cobus van Vuuren said the union rejected the offer and would not bother to approach its members with it.
“It would seem that all Transnet has done is to change the way the offer looks, allocating different percentage increases in different ways. The actual improvement in salaries of the members is still very far away from an inflation-related increase for the members,” Van Vuuren said.
Satawu deputy general secretary Anele Kiet said Satawu had also rejected the offer as its members would not settle for anything less than double digits.
“As a union, we believe that this is an insult to our members. The mandate from workers is very clear – that we don’t come back without double digits,” Kiet said.
“There was no need for the negotiating team to even consider what was on the table because it was far below what our members are expecting.”
However, both parties have agreed and signed the picketing rules and picketing sites for the industrial action by thousands of workers.
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