Bus strike could soon end as negotiations resume

Satawu says it has invited employers back to the table, raising hope among the commuters who have been left stranded across SA

May 03, 2018 at 9:34 am

The national bus strike could soon end as unions and employers are going back to the negotiation table.

Zanele Sabela‚ a spokeswoman for the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu)‚ said on Wednesday that the unions had decided to invite employers for another round of wage negotiations after they met earlier this week.

"On Monday when we met‚ we decided it is our responsibility to invite the employers back to the negotiation table. We then wrote to the bargaining council to request a meeting with employers so we can continue negotiations‚" Sabela said.

The strike‚ which is in its second week‚ has left commuters across the country stranded.

Wage negotiations in the industry deadlocked last month.

Satawu‚ the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa)‚ the Transport and Omnibus Workers Union (Towu)‚ the Transport and Allied Workers Union of SA (Tawusa) and the Tirisano Transport and Services Workers Union announced their decision to continue with the strike at a media conference in Johannesburg a week ago.

That followed a breakdown in negotiations with employers‚ mediated by the Commission for Conciliation‚ Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).