Johnathan Paoli
THE Bombela Operating Company (BOC) which is in charge of Gautrain services, has announced that services are not expected to be disrupted by the planned National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) strike.
This follows the announcement by the union on Sunday that a 48-hour notice to strike had been handed over to the BOC, with NUMSA spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola saying the strike will begin on Monday at six in the morning.
Hlubi-Majola said the union was warning commuters that the services may be interrupted as a result of the strike, and apologised for the inconvenience adding that the union had been forced into taking this drastic course of action due to a breakdown in negotiations between the union and Gautrain management.
“Wage talks began on 17 April and we have had two rounds of talks. Our last meeting was on 11 June which is when we deadlocked with the employers,” Hlubi-Majola said.
NUMSA is currently the majority union, and maintains sole negotiating power at the train line.
NUMSA was demanding a 13% general increase, 60% medical aid contribution by BOC, and a housing allowance of R2000 per month.
She said BOC unilaterally changed working conditions from a 5-day operation to a 6-day operation, without compensating workers for the extra work, with the union demanding the overtime rate for the 6th day.
Hlubi-Majola said the BOC rewarded management and office staff with R22 000 bonuses each, while blue-collar workers are denied a guaranteed bonus, instead being awarded an incentive bonus.
“This is unfair and we demand equal treatment for all workers,” she said.
In addition, Hlubi-Majola said the BOC has become hostile to the union and unilaterally withdrew the recognition agreement with NUMSA.
She said the union demanded full time shop-stewards who could represent workers in disciplinary hearings and grievances.
“The right to be represented by a trade union of one’s choice is a constitutional right and the management of the BOC must stop interfering with this right,” the spokesperson said.
Gautrain Management Agency CEO Tshepo Kgobe said train services will operate normally despite the strike action.
Kgobe said part of the problem was found that the 13% as demanded by the union did not correlate with the number currently being discussed within negotiations with the BOC.
He said negotiations reduced the number to 8%, but that negotiations fell apart concerning the change in operations.
Kgobe said the 6-day operations issue went to the Labour court, but that the union withdrew the matter, and failed to pay the BOC for negotiating costs.
“An issue that went all the way to the Labour court, it tends to be challenging, that this matter has been placed back on the negotiating table, despite failing to pay back the BOC,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hlubi-Majola said the strike would be indefinite until he union’s demands had been met.
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