Satawu suspends bus strike

By Ofentse Mokae
28 March 2010

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union has announced the suspension its national bus strike that was expected to take place tomorrow.

Transport unions Satawu, Towu and Tawusa have been negotiating pay agreements with the South African Bus Employees Association in recent days.

The unions are demanding a pay hike of 15 percent but negotiations deadlocked last week when the association offered 6.5 per cent.

Satawu said around 10 000 bus industry workers will resume operations tomorrow following a pay offer of 10 percent.

Mashego said that with the better offer given, they decided to suspend the strike until further notice.

Golden Arrow which operates commuter buses in the Cape say due to the withdrawal of the strike some bus services may be disrupted.

However the bus company say their doing everything in their power to ensure that all bus run according to normal schedules.

“Commuters should be able to access their usual services and employees represented by the unions will also have access to their places of work,” spokesperson Vuyisile Mdoda said.