TRANSNET WAGE NEGOTIATIONS: 2022/2023 – FEEDBACK: ENGAGEMENT WITH MANAGEMENT

Our previous circular letter REF: CL.WAGE.NEG.T.010.17, dated 05-10-2022 refers.

The UNTU Wage Negotiation Team has concluded over 8 hours of robust engagements that started at 14H00 today, 5 October 2022 with the Transnet Management Team. Unfortunately, Transnet Management has not provided a revised offer that is aligned with the mandates that we have received from our members and as such will not be formally subjected to the formal mandating process for acceptance or rejection by the members.

The Transnet revised salary increase offer at the end of the engagements tonight is as follows:

ACROSS THE BOARD (ATB) INCREASE

• Increase on the following wage elements based upon the gliding scale per level below:
  • Basic Salary, CTC, 13^th Cheque
  • Acting Allowance (where applicable)
  • Leave Provision
  • Overtime (where applicable)

• Increased salary, 1 October 2022 (reflected on pay slip)

The increase is based on a gliding scale as follows:

• 3% increase on Housing Allowance
• 3% increase on Medical Subsidy
• 3% increase on Nightshift, Standby Allowance (where applicable)

BACKPAY

• Cash payment of the backpay portion (April – September 2022)

• Payable in 3 tranches:
  • End January 2023
  • End February 2023
  • End March 2023

ONCE OFF LUMPSUM

• Once off lumpsum payment of R5 000 per employee at the end of April 2023
  • Salient Features are:
    • Applicable to all Permanent and Fixed Term Bargaining Unit Employees
    • The value will be prorated based on the number of months in service in FY2022/23
    • Payment will be applicable to employees in service on payment date

UNTU Leadership’s priority through this process is to ensure that our members are protected during the strike action and as such members must take note that notwithstanding the fact that UNTU has requested the Transnet Bargaining Council on 20 September 2022 to initiate the process of establishing picketing rules, they have failed to initiate this process and have failed to establish these picketing rules by 23 September 2022 as requested.

This communication with regard to the picketing rules were acknowledged by the Transnet Bargaining Council and Transnet was included in this communication. Furthermore, the Transnet Bargaining Council’s acknowledged receipt of the request to establish picketing rules.

TRANSNET MANAGEMENT REFUSED TO TALK ABOUT THE PICKETING RULES AFTER WE ENTERTAINED LISTENING TO THEIR PROPOSALS UNTIL 23H00 AND THEN REFUSED TO TALK ABOUT THE PICKETING RULES!!!!

AS SUCH THE STRIKE ACTION THAT WILL BE EMBARKED ON AS FROM TONIGHT 00H01 HAS TO BE IN THE FORM OF A STAY AWAY. IF WRITTEN SIGNED PICKETING RULES ARE NOT IN PLACE, MEMBERS MUST REFRAIN FROM PICKETING AND EMBARK ON A STAY AWAY AS MENTIONED EARLIER TO ENSURE THEY REMAIN PROTECTED!

Further to the above, there are two categories of employees that has been classified as “Essential Services” workers and these workers are prohibited from embarking on strike action as per the LRA. These categories of employees are:

• Port Security
• Marine services which ensure the safe and expeditious flow of vessel traffic in port approaches and harbours and a safe stay at berth when moored or at anchor, including the services rendered by vessel controllers, pilots and tuggers.

Please ensure that the abovementioned categories of people are informed of the prohibition from participating in the strike action and the risk of potential disciplinary action by Transnet against them if they participate in the strike action.

THE STRIKE IS ON!!!

THE FIRST PHASE OF THE STRIKE ACTION WILL BE A STAY AWAY STRIKE ACTION AS FROM 00H01 TONIGHT!!!

MEMBERS WILL BE ADVISED AS SOON AS THE PICKETING RULES HAVE BEEN AGREED UPON AND THE OTHER STRIKE RELATED ACTIVITIES THAT WILL BE EMBARKED UPON AND THE TIME FRAMES ON WHICH THESE ACTIVITIES WILL BE EMBARKED UPON.

PICKETING WILL COMMENCE ONCE PICKETING RULES HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED…

TRANSNET IS TRYING TO DEMOTIVATE OUR MEMBERS RESOLVE TO EMBARK ON INDUSTRIAL ACTION; LET’S SHOW THEM OUR RESOLVE!!!

VIVA UNTU VIVA!!!

Esteemed greetings,

C Van Vuuren

GENERAL SECRETARY: UNTU