SATAWU : Bus strike to continue until demands are met
Pretoria – The bus drivers’ strike is set to have far reaching implications as it started just before the Easter long weekend, with striking bus drivers vowing to continue with the cause until their demands are met.
Drivers belonging to trade unions including South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (SATAWU) and National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) want employers to give them a 15% wage increase and have rejected a 9% increase on offer.
Thousands of commuters countrywide will be forced to find alternative transport as the strike enters its second day.
SATAWU spokesperson Zanele Sabela says, “Yesterday we met and unfortunately those negotiations were very disappointing because employers showed up with an earlier proposal that had been made by the Secretary General of the Bargaining Council after the mediation process collapsed.”
“We are very apologetic for the current state of affairs. Unfortunately, we didn’t plan to be here but when you look at it, employers are the ones that are unwilling to resolve this. Unfortunately the strike is indefinite,” Sabela adds.