4 September 2012
The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU), together with fellow unions in the transport and logistics industry; namely: MTWU, PTAWUSA and TAWU have reached a wage negotiation deadlock after a tense and protracted discussions since early June this year at the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry.
SATAWU, being the largest union in the council, had always acted in good faith throughout the negotiations in an attempt to amicably reach an inflation related wage settlement of 12% across the board for implementation in 2013 and 2014 respectively. We have also demanded an equal increase for workers classified under the extended bargaining unit of the council.
Our members’ patience has been exhausted and our mandate will not change for demanding a living wage on their behalf. Employers have attempted to hoodwink us by tabling only 1% from their original offer of 6% across the board in all the bargaining units. We have rejected the offer and for that they have moved back to their original offer of 6%.
We have issued notices of an industrial action to all our members in the industry and tools will be down soon. “Unions have tried hard to go beyond the mandate, but there is no commitment for the employers to avoid the strike and therefore we have no option but to call our members to hit the streets of South Africa”, says the SATAWU chief negotiator Abner Ramakgolo.
For more information please contact:
Vincent Masoga
Acting National Media Officer
South African Transport & Allied Workers’ Union
Tel: 011 333 6127
Cell: 083 297 3826
info@satawu.org.za