UTATU United Transport and Allied Trade Union

Striking rail unions, Utatu and Satawu - whose ongoing strike actions have all-but crippled the country’s rail freight, harbours, commuter services and pipelines – have called on labour federations, Fedusa and Cosatu, to back their action.

“We are confidently expecting the federations’ support through various forms of ancillary protest action,” says Utatu general secretary, Chris de Vos.
“If that happens, South Africa will face the most co-ordinated, comprehensive and disruptive labour unrest in its history.

“To help bring an end to the conflict, South Africa needs to take an interest in the employment irregularities that are motivating the country’s rail and harbour workers to starve themselves and their families to fight for a fair deal.
“Labour’s message to the South African business community is:

- Labour does not want to cause chaos.
- Labour only wants a speedy settlement to the dispute . . . one that will give the country’s rail and harbour workers the fair employment deals that they are being denied.
- Labour has shown its willingness to compromise.
- A quick settlement is achievable and affordable – far more affordable than the mayhem that will be caused if Transnet and Prasa are allowed to continue their dog-in-the-manger approach.

“The real bottom line of the conflict is the failure of Transnet and Prasa to understand that achieving worker trust and industrial peace is management’s responsibility . . . and that fair play does not depend on their say-so, but on their workers sharing that view.
“Instead of referring to their workers as ‘they’ and ‘them’, Transnet and Prasa need to understand that their workers are their colleagues without whose trust and support there can be no progress.

“Only when those pennies drop will labour be able to help the companies to move towards the strike-free collaboration that our country desperately needs.

“Big business – the people now having to pay for the parastatals’ HR shortcomings – can help South Africa and themselves by bringing these points home to Transnet and Prasa.” 

 
GENERAL SECRETARY
CHRIS DE VOS