SATAWU reached a tentative agreement with TOLCON Lehumo

[Rea Molopyane]

 

SATAWU reached a tentative agreement with TOLCON Lehumo

17 January 2012

 

Yesterday, The South African Transport & Allied Workers’ Union (SATAWU) and TOLCON Lehumo reached tentative agreement to conclude this year’s wage negotiations. This is part of an attempt to avoid the strike entering its third week with the possibility of FreeState, Gauteng & the Western Cape joining in. The union will now consult the workers to determine whether to sign the agreement or not. So far 181 workers in Kwa Zulu Natal  remain on strike. The in-principle agreement entails the following:

 

1.      Scope of application of an agreement

2.      Definition of bargaining unit.

3.      The right to exercise collective bargaining

4.      Period of an agreement.

5.       Dispute mechanism resolution.

6.      Duration for negotiations.

 

SATAWU want to have an agreement with scope covering the following categories of workers:

 

(a)     Toll Collectors

(b)     Scale Master

(c)     Admin Clerk

(d)     Route Inspector

(e)     Technician

(f)     Assistant Technician

(g)     Supervisor

 

“ TOLCON Lehumo will forward the draft agreement as per discussion and principle agreement to CCMA and Satawu before 12h00 today. This afternoon we expect our members to give us a mandate whether we can sign off the agreement or not“ said JV Dube, SATAWU Provincial Secretary -KZN

 

We hope that employers will not renege on the new in –principle agreement. We now want to consult members before signing an agreement. The talks took an unexpected dimension and concretely there were no debates on mathematical wage issues. Depending on what workers will say during the consultation process, the parties could sign and seal the agreement by Wednesday, 18 January 2012. We hope workers will be thrilled with the tentative agreement particularly possible establishment of a bargaining unit..

 

We have now observed seriousness on the attitude of employers. We think that they are desperate to conclude an agreement. We hope and trust that workers will be encouraged with the new shifts. Maybe we can move forward to concretely transform the industry. It will be historic to sign a long term agreement with TOLCON Lehumo. The union notes the improvement on the agreement and the effort put in by the employer, but workers must have a final decision. We are a democratic organization that respects the wishes of workers. Workers must have a final say on this agreement.

 

 

Contact:

Mamokgethi Rea Molopyane

SATAWU National Spokesperson

Cell: 082 395 0907

Landline: 011 333 6127

E-mail: r...@satawu.org.za

Twitter: @Reagoikanya