The SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) is considering how the International Transport Workers’ Federation could help its strike against Equity Aviation, a statement said on Wednesday.
Further negotiations last week at the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration were fruitless.
”We have had a very rough go of it,” said Satawu spokesperson Evan Abrahamse.
He said Equity Aviation Services’s approach was outside the normal framework of industrial relations.
”It is a very legalistic approach. They insist on disregarding collective agreements”.
Equity Aviation spokesperson Herman Fleishman said Satawu ”clearly does not understand how this business works”.
Fleishman was concerned that the wage dispute had lost its focus, and ”it has become more of a political rally than a wage negotiation”.
Satawu said in its statement it was beginning to suspect that Serco, the British multinational foreign partner in EAS, was the cause of the difficulties in the wage negotiations.
”Serco makes no bones about the fact that it sees EAS as a stepping stone to wider investments in Southern Africa, and it clearly wishes to brow-beat Satawu and any other union in its wake in the process” a statement said.
Unions in industries controlled by Serco in other countries have had similar experiences with wage negotiations, Satawu said.
”We have received a report from the Rail Tram and Bus Union of Australia which reads like a carbon copy of our own dispute.”
Satawu would therefore be calling on the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) to establish a global network of workers employed by Serco.
”In this way we will meet their international attack on workers’ rights and conditions,” said the union.
Fleishman said it was the chairperson of Equity Aviation who managed the strike. He agreed that Serco representatives were on the board of the company which the chairperson answered to.
In their statement on Wednesday Satawu was dismissive of EAS’s comments that the union was politicising the situation.
”We have always stated the dispute is a direct consequence of privatisation — a decision made by government. Some of the key shareholders are current and past politicians. We do not feel sorry if the shareholders of the company are beginning to feel uncomfortable. They must take responsibility for their investment decisions.”
The strike is entering its fourth month, and various solidarity partners have pledged financial support to the 700 strikers. The SACP will donate R5 000 a month, and the National Union of Mineworkers , Food and Allied Workers’ Union, SA Democratic Teachers Union and the SA Society of Bank Officials have together pledged R97 500.
”The Minister for Public Enterprises also personally donated R1 000 which the union is grateful for”, Satawu said.
Satawu summarised the key issues dividing the parties:
Satawu is still asking for a six percent increase overall, and between one and two percent for each extra hour of work, while ESA is offering three percent, to increase to four percent from March 2004, conditional on an increase in working hours.
Satawu has offered to increase working hours to 42,5 hours week, with compensation for each extra hour. EAS requires a 45 hour week inclusive of a production bonus.
Satawu wants the production bonus to be distinct from a wage increase.
EAS is asking for reduced sick leave and eradicating the night shift allowance and transport subsidies. This is unacceptable to Satawu.
”This is the seventh revision we have made on our offer to accommodate Satawu, but they have moved the goal posts. It makes the negotiation process extremely difficult,” said Fleishman.
Abrahamse was tentative about how to resolve the current deadlock.
”We are collecting information as to who are we dealing with. It would be wise for us to understand who exactly are we talking to,” he said. – Sapa