Cape Town - The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) is adamant it wants to continue wage negotiation talks with Transnet after announcing that they have not reached a wage agreement.
Referring to the three-year-wage agreement reached with majority union, United National Transport Union (Untu), Satawu confirmed the industrial action had been called off and members had been urged to return to productive activities as of 6am on Thursday.
However, Satawu said a “series of consultative meetings with our constituencies were convened to critically analyse the implications of such an agreement”.
The union said it was mandated by members not to sign or be party to the collective agreement and that the negotiating team should continue to engage with the Transnet Bargaining Council “on critical issues such as organisational restructuring (retrenchments) and deduction of lost wages in two tranches”.
Satawu spokesperson Amanda Tshemese said: “Even though the numerical majority opted to betray the struggle by secretly signing an anti-working class agreement with the employer, we have proven to be a cultural majority in areas of collective bargaining, organising and mobilisation.
Our members expressed their real suffering by picketing at various sites of class struggle.”
Tshemese said an agreement would not be signed unless mandated by its members.
“Satawu is very clear that it will not commit itself to anything that does not have job security. Looking at the employer’s offer, it favours the employer only.
“The union has consulted its members following Untu and Transnet’s agreement. The workers have agreed to call off the strike as the ‘no work, no pay’ decree continues to affect our members.
“Satawu will not sign the so-called revised offer as it goes against the workers’ mandate and interests,” said Tshemese.
Provincial MEC for Finance and Economic Opportunities, Mirielle Wenger said they welcomed the end of the national strike.
“However, over the last 14 days, a significant backlog has built up at our ports, with industry experts stating that it may take anywhere between six and ten weeks to clear.”
The Western Cape’s Department of Economic Development and Tourism is engaging with freight forwarders, exporter associations and transporters about increasing the utilisation of the night shift to help clear the backlog and are encouraged by the industry’s commitment to doing this.
“November marks the start of the table grape exporting season, which is a substantial export earner, and which generated almost R9.8 billion in 2021 in exports to the rest of the world.
“Ensuring our ports are working efficiently is therefore a top priority,” Wenger said.
Earlier this week Untu signed the three-year agreement which entails a 6,0% increase in the basic wage for levels H to L, and 6,0% on the annual cost-to-company package for level G during year one.
It also includes a 5,5% increase in the basic wage for year 2 and a 6% increase in year 3.
Employees will also receive an increase in medical aid subsidies and housing allowances.
Transnet spokesperson Ayanda Shezi said Satawu was a recognised union and “there are always engagements” and added that their previous statement on the wage agreement signed with Untu remained.
“Transnet continues to prioritise the safety of employees and assets, as operations prepare to ramp up.
“Engagements with customers and industry are ongoing, with joint planning to clear backlogs created as a result of the industrial action,” Shezi had said.
Cape Times