UTATU joins Transnet strike

By Ofentse Mokae
11 May 2010

The United Transport and Allied Trade Union announced today it will join the nationwide Transnet strike, crippling the state-owned rail company.

Utatu Secretary General Chris de Vos says following their members refusal to accept the 11-percent across-the-board salary increment offer by the employer, they were mandated to join the strike which will resume tomorrow morning.

Yesterday thousands of South African Transport and Allied Workers Union members downed tools over the wage dispute.

Employees are demanding a 15 percent across the board wage increase.

Most of the country’s port, rail and pipeline operations have been severely affected by the strike.

At first, Utatu was hopeful that employees would accept Transnet’s 11 percent across the board wage offer even though Satawu members outright rejected the proposal.

The addition of Utatu to the strike will effectively shut down all Transnet operations by this evening.

Meanwhile The Federation of Unions of South Africa says it fully supports its affiliate, Utatu, on its decision to go ahead with a national strike.

FEDUSA Secretary General Dennis George, said they believe workers are entitled to better wages.

“We support the demand for 15% as motivated by a study completed by the Labour Research Service (LRS) that showed how workers’ salaries has declined by 12, 65% from 2005 to 2009,” George said in a statement.

He said this happened despite the salaries of various CEO’s increasing including that of Transnet CEO increasing by R6,7 million to R12 million.