The United National Transport Union (UNTU) strongly condemns Transnet’s misleading communication to its employees, about the new incentive scheme, for all bargaining unit employees and management which has been introduced.
This communication was sent out on Friday 19 May 2017 by Tumelo Mokwena, acting chief human resources officer, before Transnet informed Labour in writing that the state-owned enterprise is withdrawing from the collective agreements on the current incentive schemes in all its divisions as Mokwena undertook to do.
By doing so Transnet created the misleading impression that an agreement was reached with Labour about the new incentive scheme at the Transnet Bargaining Council and that UNTU was a party to it.
UNTU can assure its members that the Union refused to sign any agreement on Transnet’s proposed new incentive scheme as it would not be in the interest of our members.
Eddie de Klerk, Acting General Secretary says, Transnet did inform Labour at the last meeting, at the Transnet Bargaining Council on Thursday last week, that it considered the meeting to be the final consultation on its proposed new incentive scheme.
UNTU acknowledged that incentive bonuses is the prerogative of the employer and is not a right that Transnet needs to negotiate and reach agreement on with Labour. “That does not mean that the employer does not have an obligation to inform Labour in writing of its intention to withdraw from these agreements before they communicate it to our membership,” says De Klerk.
According to Mokwena’s letter to Transnet employees, the other Transnet Incentive Agreements and Schemes will terminate on 30 June 2017.
The new Transnet Incentive Scheme is effective from 1 April 2017 for all managers and from 1 July 2017 for all bargaining unit employees.
Transnet will be embarking on roadshows to inform its employees about the new incentive schemes. Labour will not participate in the roadshows as UNTU, the majority Union in Transnet representing 50.6% of its employees, does not agree with the new incentive scheme.
Issued on behalf of UNTU by Sonja Carstens, Media and Liaison Officer.
