Gautrain workers downed tools, amid a wage strike where workers are demanding a ten percent wage increase.
On Monday, 30 July 2018, striking Gautrain workers disrupted train services in Johannesburg, Midrand and Pretoria. The negotiations between the United National Transport Union (UNTU) and Bombela Concession Company (BOC), which runs the Gautrain, reached a deadlock last week, and resulted in strike action.
UNTU has proposed a 10% wage increase, a R1,600 housing allowance, an R800 transport allowance and a R20,000 bonus incentive. The employer has only offered an 8.5 percent increase across all boards.
Gautrain spokesperson Kesagee Nayager says: “The company has offered an 8.5 percent across the board increase. In the current economic climate, we believe this to be a generous offer, especially when considering that annually, over the last five years, the company has granted increases in excess of eight percent, which was significantly above inflation. To increase the company’s offer, any further is neither responsible nor sustainable.”
The Gautrain is expected to continue with limited services on Tuesday, 31 July 2018 as workers continue with the strike. On Twitter, the company posted that “…a train service will operate during the peak period between Sandton & OR Tambo, stopping at Rhodesfield. A bus service will operate between Sandton and Rhodesfield and between Rhodesfield and OR Tambo from 09h00 until 16h00.”
Abenathi Gqomo
a.gqomo@politicalanalysis.co.za
