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BL Premium reports that the United National Transport Union (Untu) and the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) have rejected Transnet’s revised above-inflation wage offer, thus raising the spectre of an industrial action that could disrupt port operations.
The parties met for intense negotiations over three days last week. The rail and ports operator revised its offer to 5.5% for the first and second years of a three-year deal and 5% for the last year. Transnet had previously offered increases of inflation plus 1% in the first year and inflation plus 0.5% in the second and third years, totalling a cumulative 14.5%. Inflation is hovering at about 3%. While the parties have embarked on a two-week cooling-off period, Untu and Satawu confirmed that they had rejected the employer’s revised offer. Untu’s Atenkosi Plaatjie said the union had revised its demands from a one-year, 12% across-the-board increase to 10%. Plaatjie indicated that Transnet management and labour would reconvene on 26 March for a “last attempt to find each other before reaching deadlock”. Satawu’s Amanda Tshemese commented: “We are not going to move from our demand of [a] 17.5% salary increment. The union is still open to negotiations.” She described the wage talks as “very tense”. Transnet pointed out that the revised offer remained above inflation and represented a 16% wage increment over the three years. It added: “This across-the-board offer includes an increase to basic salary and related components [13th cheque and pension fund contribution], medical aid subsidy and housing allowance.”
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Luyolo Mkentane at BusinessLive (subscriber access only)
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page