Fin24 reports that two unions plan to strike at Transnet within the next week after rejecting the state-owned freight logistics group’s wage offer.

The United National Transport Union (UNTU) said it had served a 48-hour notice on Transnet of its intention to embark on a protected strike from Thursday, while the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) plans to down tools from next Monday. Transnet's offer includes a wage increase of 1.5% from this month and a 13th cheque, among other benefits. The organisation’s wage bill makes up 66% of its operating costs. Transnet indicated in a statement that it had applied to the CCMA to convene conciliation discussions over the current wage negotiations. "This follows the unions' rejection yesterday [Monday] of a new offer which the company firmly believes is fair and reasonable given the current financial and operational challenges," the statement reported. Satawu confirmed it had received a letter from the CMMA to facilitate a conciliatory intervention process between the parties. The union indicated that the process would commence on 12 October, but that the CCMA process “will not affect our protected industrial action." UNTU’s Cobus van Vuuren said that Transnet's offer was an insult to its members "who have put everything on the line" to help get Transnet back on track. Van Vuuren said Transnet must provide a salary increase offer aligned with the increased cost of living and CPI of 7.6%.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Khulekani Magubane at Fin24
• Read too, Transnet workers threaten to strike after rejecting wage offer, at BusinessLive
• And also, Transnet applies for CCMA intervention as unions prepare to strike, at Moneyweb

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