BUS routes around the country started on a sluggish note on Monday after an agreement on Friday between unions and management ended a two week old strike. The South African Bus Employee’s Association and the four unions supporting the strike — the Transport and General Workers’ Union, the Transport and Allied Workers’ Union, the Western Cape Omnibus Staff Union and the Transport and Omnibus Workers’ Union — on Friday agreed on a 8,5% wage increase back-dated to April 1. Commission of Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration spokesman Professor Joseph Maseko confirmed on Friday there was still an outstanding issue regarding the spread of working hours. He said it had been decided to send the matter for arbitration, adding that both groups had agreed to abide by the decision of the arbitrator.