ANA reports that the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) on Friday made a submission to oppose an application by Putco Bus to be exempted from paying its workers the wage increase signed in May after a lengthy drivers’ strike.  

Satawu indicated in a statement:  “Labour unions and employers in the South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council (SARPBAC) signed a two-year wage agreement in May following a month-long industry-wide strike.  Parties agreed workers would receive a 9% wage hike in the first year and 8% the following year.  But since then, Putco, Algoa Bus, Golden Arrow and two others have applied to the bargaining council seeking to be exempted from complying with the wage deal.”  The hearing on the pros and cons of Putco’s application was heard on Friday in Johannesburg.  Satawu noted that company has refused to pay the wage increase and bonuses to its workers despite having just finalised the large-scale retrenchment of 220 employees and having abolished 380 positions across company operations.

• Read the original of this report at The Citizen

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