Transnet implements wage deal

Johannesburg – Transnet on Monday confirmed that it had implemented its new wage offer despite warning by the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) that implementing this agreement "will inflame the situation".

The transport utility's confirmation indicates that the agreement is binding on members of Satawu, who are still on strike and have rejected the latest wage settlement. 

On Friday, Transnet said it had signed a wage agreement with a "majority trade union", the United Transport and Allied Unions (Utatu).

Utatu accepted Transnet's 11% wage offer on Friday, but Satawu rejected it, demanding 13%.

Transnet said this agreement involved Satawu workers, who account for 39% of the workforce.

But Jane Barret, policy research officer at Satawu, said on Monday the union did not know if Transnet had implemented the wage agreement.

Barret said Utatu was marginally under 50%. For a wage agreement to be binding, the union must have 50% + 1%.

Barret said the strike continued, noting that ports were not working and rail was "limping along".

The strike commenced on May 10 and has now entered the third week. Satawu has warned that should Transnet attempt to unilaterally impose the agreement signed by Utatu, this "will inflame the situation".

The argument that Utatu is the "majority" union is simply not true. Satawu is the largest single union in Transnet.

"Our membership for recognition purposes, taken at September 2009 is 19 195. Since then it has grown to over 22 000. Utatu's membership at September 2009 was 18 089," Satawu said.

It has an "acting together" relationship with a small unrecognised union, which takes it to a combined membership of 22 704. So while the combined membership may be marginally bigger, this does not make them a "majority union".

"Satawu represents the majority of strategic workers such as train drivers and port crane operators," it said.

  - I-Net Bridge