The United National Transport Union (UNTU) wish to inform our members in the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) that the Union declared an interest dispute at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) against the employer’s unilateral implementation of the averaging of time.
UNTU demands that Prasa must implement daily calculation of time. The Union is currently awaiting the CCMA to set the matter down for conciliation.
If this issue cannot be resolved, the CCMA will issue a certificate of non-resolution which will allow the Union to obtain mandates from our Prasa Branches if they want to embark on industrial action, which may include a nationwide strike.
This comes after Prasa ignored the notice UNTU gave to the employer in terms of clause 37 of the Labour Relations Act on 28 March 2018 that the Union is withdrawing the collective agreement (Averaging of Time).
A reminder of this notice was also ignored by the employer.
As a result, this collective agreement seized to exist as of 28 April 2018. Prasa must either fall back on the previous agreement where time worked was daily calculated or implement the terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act which will make it impossible for Prasa to operate any trains.
UNTU will inform our members of the outcome of the CCMA proceedings.
Issued on behalf of UNTU by Sonja Carstens, Media and Liaison Officer. For UNTU Press Statements phone 082 463 6806 or e-mail sonja@untu.co.za
