Unions downplay solidarity strike

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.