Transnet Workers Call Off Strike, SATAWU Cries Betrayal Over After UNTU Takes Agreement

• The Transnet worker's strike has effectively ended, and workers returned to work today, Thursday, 20 October
• The end of the strike is not without drama, as Satawu has accused Untu of backstabbing for agreeing to a below-inflation wage increase
• Regardless, Sawatu called off the strike but vowed to continue fighting for better wages for its members

JOHANNESBURG - Transnet workers have returned to work after a 10-day strike that cost the SA economy approximately R8,9 billion.

South Africa's rail, port and pipeline company announced that it entered into a wage agreement with the United National Transport Union (Untu), representing 24 992 (54%) of the transport employees.

The agreement will span three years, from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2025 and includes a 6% increase in year one, a 5.5% increase in year two and a 6% increase in the final year. The agreement also includes increased medical and housing benefits, Daily Maverick reported.

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The three-year agreement effectively ended that protest action from on trade union but has left a bitter taste in the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) metaphorical mouth.

Satawu represents a third of Transnet employees and has accused Untu of betrayal for signing the three-year wage agreement.

Satawu general secretary Jack Mazibuko maintains that the trade union refused to sign the wage agreement, but the union agreed to end the strike action.

According to The Citizen, Satawu union members returned to work on Thursday, 20 October, but the union vowed to continue negotiations for an above-inflation wage increase.

The current settlement between Untu and Transnet is lower than the inflation rate of 7.6%, meaning that the worker's new salaries don't compete with the cost of living.

Meanwhile, a recovery plan is underway at Transnet, which has endeavoured to clear backlogs across the port and rail system and return to business as usual.

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South Africans react to the end of the Transnet strike

South Africans are divided on the end of the Transnet strike.

Here are some comments:

@BaSagren claimed:

"They had to accept as Union in the majority agreed .If they continued would have been illegal.They had no choice"

@my1centsworth commented:

"If they're still unhappy, perhaps they should resign. We all know there's plenty of job opportunities out their. Their departure will could make space for someone who would be grateful for having a job. Union leaders live like kings, while workers continue to suffer."

Transnet fuel bandit nabbed by multidisciplinary team in connection to R102 M fuel heist

In other news, Briefly News reported that the Hawks arrested the suspected kingpin of a syndicate implicated in fuel stolen from the Transnet pipeline on Wednesday, 19 October.

The arrest of the alleged kingpin followed that of two other suspects on Saturday, 15 October. The suspects were apprehended for fuel theft and tampering with the Transnet pipeline in Vrede, Frees Sate. The criminals were caught after allegedly delivering the contraband in Kromdraai, Witbank.

Source: Briefly News