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Johannesburg - Gautrain bus drivers will go back to work for a 9% wage increase, but say they will not accept the current transport allowance, the United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu) said on Thursday.
Utatu deputy general secretary Pieter Greyling said the drivers were prepared to get back to work only if the Bombela Concession Company's bus service, Mega Express, revised the current allowance for transport.
"At the moment Mega Express wants to give us R40 for daily transport, whereas we want R65 non-negotiable," said Greyling.
Bombela Concession spokesperson Errol Braithwaite said he was not aware of any deals being finalised.
"The issues of wages is still under negotiation at the bargaining council level, under the auspices of the CCMA," said Braithwaite.
Gautrain bus drivers joined the nationwide bus industry strike last week, which stretched the parking capacity at the train stations.
"The suspension of the bus services has placed enormous strain on our parking facilities at all stations," Bombela Concession spokesperson Kelebogile Machaka said earlier in the week.
Renewed their protests in Cape Town
Meanwhile, drivers in Cape Town renewed their protests, insisting their demands be met.
Drivers affiliated to the SA Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) and the Transport and Omnibus Workers' Union (Towu), were expected to picket throughout the city.
Golden Arrow Bus service spokesperson John Dammert said parties could not reach an agreement during talks facilitated by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) on Wednesday.
"Our representative, who is part of the bargaining council, told me that unions brought down their demands to a 13% wage increase, while the employers improved their offer to 8%," said Dammert.
The CCMA suggested that parties settle at 9%.
Commuter Bus Employers' Organisation spokesperson Barry Gie said the unions' demands were a major hurdle during talks.
"One of the stumbling blocks is that unions continue to ask for a double digit increase, which we simply cannot afford," said Gie.
Earlier in the week, the Congress of SA Trade Unions expressed support for striking bus drivers and their wage demands.
"[We] wish the workers at the bus companies well during their strike and support them in their struggle for a living wage," Cosatu Western Cape secretary Tony Ehrenreich said in a statement.
Satawu Gauteng spokesperson Vincent Masoga said on Tuesday workers needed a substantial increase to offset rising food and housing costs.
"Members don't have a problem to negotiate, but they cannot take anything less than a double-digit [increase]," he said.
