Lerato Mbhiza
Labour union NUMSA is mobilising its members to shut down the bus industry over the long Easter weekend after wage negotiations between the union and the bus companies deadlocked.
The South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council tried to intervene in the matter but the parties failed to reach a consensus.
NUMSA said its core demand is an 8% salary increase across the board, which is a reduction from the initial 15% it demanded. And that it had exhausted all avenues in an attempt to resolve the dispute.
However, the employer still rejected the revised demand and said it cannot afford the increase.
Spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said NUMSA had been issued a certificate of non-resolution allowing workers to strike.
“Unfortunately, those efforts failed. Employers continue to stubbornly demand that workers must absorb the cost of the contract penalties if they are imposed on them by the authorities. We reject this demand from employers as workers have nothing to do with negotiated contracts that employers negotiate with authorities without our involvement.
“The bosses do not disclose their contracts to our members, therefore why should they be financially liable for their failures? NUMSA condemns the employers for insisting on taking this extreme position!” Hlubi-Majola said.
“We have our back up against the wall, therefore, we have no choice but to mobilise for a national strike in the bus passenger sector. The employers are offering a minor 4% increase and are not responding to our core demands”.
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