Satawu vows to continue strike at Transnet

The ports and rail operator on Monday signed a 6%, three-year wage agreement with its majority union, the United National Transport Union (Untu), bringing an end to a 12-day strike at the state-owned company.

The union on Thursday rejected a three-year wage offer of 4.5% for the current year and a 5% increase for the next two years.

Satawu spokesperson Amanda Tshemese says the union will be sticking to the mandate from their members.

"We have a mandate from our workers, and we are sticking to our mandate that we are not going to sign anything that does not have job security at Transnet, and we are not going to take anything that is below the inflation rate.

"At this current moment we are sticking to our rule. So, whatever the employer and the other union might have signed it is not binding to us, it is not automatic, meaning that every union is going with Untu because they are a majority union."

Tshemese says while it is continuing with the strike, it is still willing to negotiate with the employer.

"Satawu is still more than willing to negotiate with the employer, because I think when we started the negotiations we made it clear that we are not prioritising to go on strike because we know the consequences of the strike .

"We know that going on strike is going to do a lot of damage. We knew that going to strike was going to sabotage and we knew that it was going to negatively affect our economy, so we are still saying to they employer that we are still willing to negotiate.

"The employer must just come to us and do the right thing to pay the workers what is due to them." 

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