BL Premium reports that the Labour Court is expected to rule soon on whether Putco’s employees are entitled to a 6% wage agreement reached in 2020.

This amidst a crippling wildcat strike that has halted the bus company operations in Gauteng and left over 150,000 commuters in the lurch. The company’s bus drivers downed tools eight days ago and embarked on a strike in Soweto and Pretoria, demanding that the company should implement the wage agreement. Putco was forced to stop operations after some of its buses were vandalised, with threats that they would be set alight. The company threatened to dismiss about 1,000 of its employees for taking part in the illegal strike. In March 2020, employers and unions signed a one-year 6% wage agreement at the SA Road Passenger Bargaining Council. Putco spokesperson Lindokuhle Xulu confirmed that the illegal strike was related to the nonpayment of the 6% salary increase and bonus for 2020. He advised: “Putco applied for exemption not to pay the 6% salary increase and the bonus for 2020 due to the impact that Covid-19 had on the finances of the company.” He also reported that unions “successfully” challenged the matter in court and that Putco “has now referred the matter to the labour court for a review, because there are two rulings on it.” Xulu added that the wildcat strike has had a “huge impact” on commuters, leaving 150,000 stranded across Gauteng. Cosatu called on the management of Putco to sit down with unions to address the concerns that were currently on the table. “Employers should understand that if they fail to soberly handle this growing resentment, it will only harden attitudes and fuel the rising militancy and struggles for better wages and better working conditions,” said spokesperson Sizwe Pamla.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)

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