Minister intervenes to avert transport strike

Public enterprises Minister Alec Erwin’s intervention in the dispute between Transnet and trade unions has averted a crippling four-day strike workers were threatening for next week. The minister and the unions have persuaded Transnet to postpone the transfer date of commuter rail service Metrorail to May 1st. The four unions - the United Transport and Allied Trade Union, South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union, South African Railway and Harbours Union and the United Association of SA - represent more than half of Transnet’s workforce. Transnet wanted to transfer Metrorail by April, but the unions say the transfer should not take place until the jobs and pension benefits of Metrorail employees are guaranteed.