Johannesburg - Trade union Numsa will not embark on a long distance bus strike during the Easter long weekend after they received a firm offer from employers over a wage dispute.
The union had threatened to launch a massive bus strike after talks became deadlocked.
The wage negotiations between unions and employer associations, the South African Bus Employers Association (Sabea) and the Commuters Bus Employers Organisation (Cobea) began in January.
Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said they had received a firm offer from the mediator in the South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council (SARPBAC).
“The mediator has tabled a proposal which we are taking to members for them to consider. We are giving members time to apply their minds and decide whether they will accept the wage proposal, or not.
“As a result of this, we have decided that we will not embark on a strike during the Easter long weekend. We will be consulting members on the proposal which has been tabled by employers, and seeking a mandate from them.”
The union has said that it will communicate the decision on the proposal after meeting as part of the National Bargaining Forum, which is the formal negotiating platform for employers and labour, possibly on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the availability of all parties.
Numsa has denied allegations by another union that Numsa is intending to sign the proposal.
The union further said that there is currently no agreement in the bus passenger sector, and the consultation they are embarking on should not be interpreted as a sign that the union has accepted an offer.
“We are a worker-controlled union which respects the right of members to define for themselves what the response will be.
“The purpose of the consultation is to give members space and the time to make up their own minds, and for them to instruct the union on the way forward,” said Jim.
IOL