Johannesburg - The Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) expressed support for striking Transnet workers on Monday, but said a
solidarity strike involving other unions was not on the cards yet.
"No, something like that [a solidarity strike]
has to go through a formal process," said Fedusa general secretary Dennis
George.
But he said Fedusa remained steadfastly behind the
United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu), whose members had been striking
since last week alongside the SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu)
and the SA Railway and Harbour Workers' Union (Sarhwu).
Transnet had offered workers 11%, while the
unions dropped their demand in talks at the weekend to an unmandated 12%.
George said one of Fedusa's main gripes with Transnet
was that the unions settled on 7% increases last year.
It emerged later that Transnet management had given themselves a 14% hike, said George.
"How can they justify paying themselves such high
salaries when the average workers only earn a fraction of their bonuses? ... It doesn't make sense to us. For them
[Transnet] to play hardball with these guys [the unions] is unacceptable,"
George said.
Transnet confirmed on Monday that weekend wage talks
broke down.
Cosatu, ANC to intervene?
"Transnet confirms that attempts by the
Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to resolve the
wage dispute... have failed," Transnet spokesperson John Dludlu said in a
statement.
"The company has made a fair and generous offer
of an 11% increase on all pensionable earnings.
"The offer, which also provides for
above-inflation increases in a range of allowances and benefits, is within the
limits of affordability and reasonableness," said Dludlu.
Utatu and Satawu said on Monday morning they would
appeal to their umbrella bodies for support in the wage deadlock.
"We want support from the other unions,"
said Utatu general secretary Chris de Vos.
He had sent an e-mail to George to ask for other unions
to join the strike in solidarity.
Meanwhile, Satawu deputy president Robert Mashego
said: "We are going to request the intervention of Cosatu and even the intervention of the ANC
if needs be, because we believe there is a need for political
intervention."
Utatu, Satawu and Sarhwu started a strike against
Transnet last week, affecting freight rail, rail engineering, ports, port
terminals and pipeline services.
A joint statement by Utatu and Satawu warned on Monday
that the strike would continue.
'No work, no pay'
"The Transnet strike is set to intensify with no
resolution in sight. Management effectively walked away from any negotiated
settlement... after stating an unwillingness to budge on any item of money
substance," said the unions.
Transnet warned on Friday that the no work, no
pay rule applied to striking workers.
Transnet acting group CEO Chris Wells said
strikers had caused more than R20m in damages to Transnet equipment, and
put the lives of innocent people in danger.
Transnet employs nearly 54 000 people and Satawu
represented 39% and Utatu 45% of these workers.
An estimated 15% of workers were not striking.
Transnet obtained a court interdict last Tuesday to
prevent striking workers from "unlawfully interfering with business or
activities of Transnet".
Thirteen people were arrested for public violence and
intimidation during the Satawu workers' strike in Durban last Monday.
A petrol and diesel
train derailed last week in apparent sabotage by striking workers, causing a
10 000 litre diesel spillage.
- Sapa