Defiant Numsa says bus strike ‘continues’

Following an announcement that the bus strike was over, it was revealed on Friday that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), along with another union, had not yet reached an agreement.

It was earlier reported that the strike was called off after a majority of the unions signed a 9% wage deal with employers for 12 months.

The unions who reportedly signed the wage deal include the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu), the Transport and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (Tawusa), and the Transport and Allied Workers Union (Tawu).

According to News24, Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant revealed that despite requesting Numsa to end the strike, the union was yet to reach an agreement.

This, however, does not prevent the strike, which left thousands of commuters stranded this week, from being called off.

According to the Bargaining Council’s constitution, if most of the unions taking part in the collective bargaining process reach an agreement, then the protest action can be called off.

Oliphant said that workers were on standby and ready to resume their duties.

Meanwhile, Numsa secretary Irvin Jim defiantly announced that the bus strike continues, despite the majority of unions having signed an agreement.

“Three unions decided to sign agreement, as far as Numsa is concerned, the strike continues. We know this will cause problems but we are a worker controlled union,” he told reporters in Johannesburg.

Numsa along with Transport and Services Workers Union (Taswu) have rejected the 9% wage deal signed by Satawu, Tawusa and Tawu.

He rubbished a joint announcement by Oliphant and Satawu secretary Zenzo Mahlangu earlier that the strike was effectively over after three out of five unions signed the wage deal.

Jim added that Oliphant and the other unions were not speaking on behalf of Numsa members.

“As Numsa we will go back to to our members tomorrow and get a mandate from them. If the minister communicates a message that the strike is over, we reject that with a contempt that it deserves. They can sign as much as they want…we are accountable to our members.”

He decried working conditions that still needed to be addressed by employers, and said that government needed to do its part to ensure that the sector is transformed.

The industrial action, which affected commuter bus services, especially long distance services, began on Wednesday. There were long queues at bus stations as commuters, in possession of paid bus tickets, were left stranded.

– Additional reporting by African News Agency

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