Cape Town - The SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) said it had been “betrayed” by the United National Transport Union (Untu) in its class struggle regarding wage negotiations with Transnet.
On Monday evening, Transnet confirmed that Untu’s strike action had ceased with immediate effect after the parties reached a three-year wage agreement as the strike action went into its second week.
Satawu said it had learnt “with shock and utmost disappointment that the genuine class struggle waged by workers” was betrayed.
“The decision in question not only disadvantages but correspondingly undermines the interests of the working class, low-earning employees, in particular. This demonstrates that the working class is not homogeneous but is divided from a stratification, theoretical, conscious, social and economic point of view. Conditions of this nature suggest that petty bourgeois members located in the mentioned union mandated their representatives to sign an anti-worker wage agreement,” Satawu said in a statement.
On Monday, Transnet spokesperson Ayanda Shezi confirmed that the agreement had been reached with Untu members and was applicable for the period April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2025 after being mediated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
The ports authority said its immediate priority would be to clear all backlogs across the port and rail system.
The wage agreement entails a 6% increase in the basic wage for levels H to L, and 6% on the annual cost-to-company package for level G during year one.
A 5.5% increase in the basic wage for year 2 and a 6% increase in year 3.
Employees will also receive an increase in the medical aid subsidy, in line with the increases in the basic wage, over the duration of the agreement. The increase on the medical subsidy for the 2022/23 financial year will be implemented from October 1. There will also be an increase in the housing allowance commencing from year 2023/24 and 2024/25.
This is a developing story.
Cape Times