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Some 1,000 Public Utility Transport Corporation (Putco) employees have until Wednesday afternoon to make submissions as to why they should not be fired for participating in last week’s wildcat strike.
Last Thursday, employees launched the strike action at the Dobsonville and Roseville depots over a 6% salary increase and outstanding bonus payments. The bus company turned to the courts to interdict the protest action, calling it a wildcat strike. Putco's spokesperson Lindokuhle Xulu said: “Anyone who did not come back on duty would then be dismissed and that is what is currently happening. About 1,000 of these workers will be dismissed, but the intention to dismiss simply means that they will be able to make representations to the company in a written format.” Asked if the company was concerned about further delaying the resumption of services should it dismiss employees, Xulu said it would hire from its pool of trainees and former employees who had lost their jobs at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. "There are about 700 drivers who were dismissed during the pandemic. Putco also has trainees who recently graduated from the traineeship. There is an excess for us to tap into for recruitment," said Xulu. Meantime, Putco has applied for an exemption with the SA Road Passenger Bargaining Council (SARPBAC), citing the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Trade unions representing the company’s employees have appealed against that application. "The labour court is expected to make a ruling on whether or not an annual bonus for 2020 should be paid and the wage increase should be applicable. Until the labour court ruling has been made, no bonus and no increase are owed to employees," said Xulu.
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