UTATU United Transport and Allied Trade Union

RAIL UNION WELCOMES MIN. HOGAN’S APPROACH

Transnet’s largest trade union, the United Transport and Allied Trade Unions (Utatu), has welcomed what it calls Minister Hogan’s ‘courageous and un-blinkered leadership.’

“We admire the Minister’s courage in coming out and saying the unpopular thing,” says Utatu general secretary, Chris de Vos.

“Instead of being swayed by colour and political party loyalties, she is placing the emphasis where it belongs - on urgency, ethics and ability.  Transnet cannot afford a protracted leadership battle, or to appoint a CEO who still has a cloud hanging over his head.

“This is the type of clear, un-blinkered leadership that Transnet needs right now.”  Utatu earlier expressed the views that the Siyabonga Gama case needs to follow the established disciplinary procedures, and that if Gama is found to be unfit for the post of CEO, Transnet should look outside the organisation for Maria Ramos’ replacement because no other internal appointee would be able to command the loyalty of all of his or her colleagues.

FOR MORE DETAIL
CONTACT CJ DE VOS – GENERAL SECRETARY
082 882 5920

Note to editors:

As at 1 August, 2009, the Transnet group’s total staff complement was 48 000.
Union membership broke down as follows:
Utatu members    22 377 (46%)
Satawu members 18 720 (39%)
Un-unionised         7 421 (15,4%)
In the period 1 January 2009 to 1 August 2009, Transnet’s total numbers shrunk from 55 313 to 48 000 (2 000 employees were transferred to Prasa).
During the same period, Utatu’s Transnet membership rose from 41,75%  to 45, 73% 
Satawu is the larger union at Metrorail (about a 60% to 40% split). However, Utatu is the larger Metrorail union in the Western Cape, i.e. an about 70% to 30% split in Utatu’s favour.
Satawu is basically a single race union (black members).
Utatu has about a 50/50 black/white split representing most skills types, more particularly train drivers, artisans and their allied workers.
Utatu’s rapid growth is being fuelled by the large number of black members joining it.