South Africa’s workers at Transnet on Friday brought the rail network to a standstill after their unions rejected a wage offer of 3 percent three days ago, APA has learnt.
Transnet confirmed in a statement that the United National Transport Union (Untu) employees have “embarked on an illegal and unprotected strike.”
The state-owned logistics firm raised its offer from 1.5 percent to 3 percent but the unions – Untu and the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) — said the amount was not close to the 13.5 percent the workers are demanding.
Satawu said that all of Transnet’s operations across the country have ceased to function, and would remain so if the parastatal did not raise its wage offer.
Calling Transnet’s offer an insult, on Wednesday Satawu issued a 48-hour strike notice to the company which has led to the current strike — and at the same time the workers have asked the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to intervene in the matter.
That mediation process will begin next week on Wednesday, the Satawu said.
NM/as/APA