Fin24 reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) vowed on Monday that Gautrain strike action would continue until the workers' demands were taken seriously.  

The union embarked on a strike on Monday morning, demanding a 10% wage increase and other incentives from the Bombela Operating Company (BOC), which runs the Gautrain.  Untu general secretary Steve Harris said:  “To the majority of these members, this strike has become much more than just a fight about annual wages.  They want to know what their employer is hiding from them by refusing the union to have confidential access to its financial statements."  Harris went on to say that striking members, comprised of train drivers, security, customer service and conductors at Gautrain, have asked for a transport allowance of R800, a housing allowance of R1,600, a basic salary increase of 10%, and incentive bonuses of R20,000 for all employees.  Another key issue was that while managers shared in the profits of the company, workers on the ground did not.  

Gautrain spokesperson Kesagee Nayager indicated that Bombela remained open to negotiations with the union.  The company has offered an 8.5% increase in salaries and benefits and an increase in the minimum wage for operational staff to R8,500 per month.  "It’s basically a train smash for me," a Pretoria based university student observed.

• Read this report by Alex Mitchley & Tehillah Niselow in full at Fin24

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