Transnet's last offer to workers to be presented to the Bargaining Council today and trade unions Untu and Satawu on Friday is not enough to avert the looming strike set to begin on Thursday for the first union and Monday for the second.
In its latest stand, Transnet moved up to 3% from 1.5 guaranteed pay; remained unchanged on paying backpay over the first three months of next year; would pay the proffered 3% at the end of this month and pay an ex gratia of R7 600, less than the R10 000 in its initial gambit.
Transnet said the offer would be presented to the Bargaining Council today and formally presented to the United Transport Union and the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union on Friday.
“Though we will, we do not even need to go to our members with what Transnet calls an improved offer. It is unlikely they will agree to it because it is still ridiculous and insulting, far below the 7.6% of the inflation band. We still stand by our demand of 12%” Satawu head of communications Amanda Tshemese said.
Untu, which represents at least 33 000 of Transnet’s 35 000 employees, will go ahead from midnight despite the SOE's latest offer and last bid conciliation approach to the CCMA this week, Untu general secretary Cobus van Vuuren confirmed. The union issued a strike notice circular to its members on Monday in which it said that despite the union’s best efforts, Transnet had not presented a salary increase offer that was aligned with its members’ mandates.
Transnet said today that it was confident that with this revised offer, a resolution could be reached though the shift up increased its fixed salary base and therefore, operating costs.
“Transnet’s wage bill already accounts for 66% of the company’s monthly operating costs, and given the current operational and financial performance of the business, it would be ill-considered to offer unsustainable wage increases. However, given the role that Transnet plays in the economy, it is equally crucial that everything possible is done to ensure that a strike is averted,” it said.
Transnet spokesperson Ayanda Shezi said management had re-emphasised its commitment to save jobs and the latest offer made, which was a R950 million increase on the current salary bill, did not result in any foreseeable job losses.
Tshemese said Transnet had insulted the workers in the negotiations which began in May but had not moved forward after the union stepped down from a 13.5% demand to 12%. “It is insulting to workers, we do not know where the 1.5% comes from. We don't need to consult members to know they will not accept this. For us the strike goes on from Monday,” she said.The strike is likely to cripple operations at the country’s ports and halt the loading and unloading of cargo from ships. It is also likely to create bottlenecks in the freight industry as trucks will not be able to offload factory output and take imports inland.
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