Transnet strike settled
News Release
International Transport Federation (ITF)
May 28, 2010
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<P class=MsoNormal>Satawu Press Release : 27<SUP>th</SUP> May 2010</P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>Transnet strike settlement agreement</B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>An agreement to end the strike at Transnet was signed by
Satawu at 3pm today, after the union was given the green light by our
members.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>In terms of the settlement agreement, all workers will
receive an additional 1% pay. This will be paid as a once off payment in June.
The payment will be calculated as 1% of annual salary. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>While the additional 1% will not be built into the salary,
and the baseline wage will therefore not change, it is nevertheless in money
terms the equivalent of the bottom line 12% that the union put forward as a
settlement proposal this past Sunday. Satawu therefore hails it as a victory.
The valiant continuation of the strike by our members, despite every effort by
management to coerce them back to work, has paid off. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The highlights of the final settlement are as follows :-</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>1. 11% increase on basic
wage plus the 1% agreed as above</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>2. R1000 ex gratia
payment to all employees</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>3. Medical aid subsidy
to be extended to workers belonging to medical schemes other than Transmed
(additional accredited schemes still to be agreed by the parties)</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>4. Medical allowance to
be paid to workers who do not currently belong to any medical aid scheme</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>5. 1000 contract workers
to be employed on a permanent basis by October. An agreed process for the
placement of remaining contract workers, including the nature of their
employment contracts.</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>6. The lifting of the
minimum wage from R38,000 pa to R50,000.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Satawu views these achievements as a major victory. In
particular we have addressed the needs of the most vulnerable workers in
Transnet.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Where we have been unable to reach agreement is on </P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>1. The reinstatement of
the housing allowance as a condition of employment for all workers, current and
future</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>2. An improvement in
paid maternity leave</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Satawu will continue to keep these two demands alive and will
place them back on the bargaining agenda next year.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>It has been a tough two and a half weeks for Satawu and its
Transnet members. With huge resources at its disposal, management has used every
trick in the book to sow division and fear in the hearts of workers. But
management has failed miserably. Satawu is and remains the largest union in
Transnet. We have demonstrated our muscle. Our members have won significant
improvements. They will be returning to work from tomorrow in unity and with
dignity. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Satawu thanks the CCMA Commissioner for his efforts, We also
thank Cosatu, the International Transport Workers Federation and all other
organizations who expressed their solidarity. And we acknowledge the role played
by the Minister of Public Enterprises for assisting to keep management and
ourselves at the table.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal><I>For further comment contact</I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><I>Zenzo Mahlangu, general secretary 072
7347825</I></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>
<HTML><HEAD><TITLE></TITLE>
<META content="text/html; charset=unicode" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.18904"></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal>Satawu Press Release : 27<SUP>th</SUP> May 2010</P>
<P class=MsoNormal><B>Transnet strike settlement agreement</B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>An agreement to end the strike at Transnet was signed by
Satawu at 3pm today, after the union was given the green light by our
members.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>In terms of the settlement agreement, all workers will
receive an additional 1% pay. This will be paid as a once off payment in June.
The payment will be calculated as 1% of annual salary. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>While the additional 1% will not be built into the salary,
and the baseline wage will therefore not change, it is nevertheless in money
terms the equivalent of the bottom line 12% that the union put forward as a
settlement proposal this past Sunday. Satawu therefore hails it as a victory.
The valiant continuation of the strike by our members, despite every effort by
management to coerce them back to work, has paid off. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The highlights of the final settlement are as follows :-</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>1. 11% increase on basic
wage plus the 1% agreed as above</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>2. R1000 ex gratia
payment to all employees</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>3. Medical aid subsidy
to be extended to workers belonging to medical schemes other than Transmed
(additional accredited schemes still to be agreed by the parties)</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>4. Medical allowance to
be paid to workers who do not currently belong to any medical aid scheme</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>5. 1000 contract workers
to be employed on a permanent basis by October. An agreed process for the
placement of remaining contract workers, including the nature of their
employment contracts.</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>6. The lifting of the
minimum wage from R38,000 pa to R50,000.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Satawu views these achievements as a major victory. In
particular we have addressed the needs of the most vulnerable workers in
Transnet.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Where we have been unable to reach agreement is on </P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>1. The reinstatement of
the housing allowance as a condition of employment for all workers, current and
future</P>
<P class=MsoListParagraph>2. An improvement in
paid maternity leave</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Satawu will continue to keep these two demands alive and will
place them back on the bargaining agenda next year.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal>It has been a tough two and a half weeks for Satawu and its
Transnet members. With huge resources at its disposal, management has used every
trick in the book to sow division and fear in the hearts of workers. But
management has failed miserably. Satawu is and remains the largest union in
Transnet. We have demonstrated our muscle. Our members have won significant
improvements. They will be returning to work from tomorrow in unity and with
dignity. </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Satawu thanks the CCMA Commissioner for his efforts, We also
thank Cosatu, the International Transport Workers Federation and all other
organizations who expressed their solidarity. And we acknowledge the role played
by the Minister of Public Enterprises for assisting to keep management and
ourselves at the table.</P>
<P class=MsoNormal><I>For further comment contact</I></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><I>Zenzo Mahlangu, general secretary 072
7347825</I></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>