The South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) is not part of a wage deal reached in the security industry and will continue with intended strike action, a spokesperson said on Sunday.
”We did not sign the deal, we are not happy with it and we will continue to strike,” Randall Howard said.
He claimed Satawu was sidelined in the wage negotiations, held under the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
”The negotiations deadlocked yesterday [Saturday],” he said. ”The [CCMA] commissioner left and the Satawu delegation left.
”When we got back to our offices in Johannesburg we heard that the commissioner had been called back and that a settlement has been reached.”
He said Satawu heard ”by a stroke of luck” about the settlement and was not part of the final negotiations. ”It appears that we had been deliberately sidelined.”
Howard said the union is in any case not interested in the settlement, which amounts to an 8%-a-year increase over the next three years.
”We were never interested in a long-term settlement. If you want to sign such a long-term deal, you have to keep certain things in mind like a possible rise in inflation.”
Satawu will stick to its original demand of an 11% salary increase.
Howard said the private security industry, which is ”a vulnerable industry and often exploited” will eventually suffer because of the deal. ”It is a pity that the other unions allowed themselves to be used by the employers.”
He said the union will report back to its 30 000 security industry members on the settlement that the other unions reached.
Satawu might even approach the CCMA and ask for the employers to be called to the negotiating table again.
According to the agreement between the employers and the 14 other unions, there will be a 26% increase in benefits over a three-year period, with an average increase of 8% a year.
Thousands of security guards went on strike countrywide in March, demanding an 11% pay increase, improved working conditions, the right to use the toilet without being charged with deserting a post on duty and the right to lunch breaks.
The strike turned violent in parts of Gauteng, with a number of guards arrested in clashes with police.
Howard said Satawu had been denied the right to gather and march in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
After an application to the Johannesburg High Court, it was agreed that the union would be able to gather and march in the city under certain conditions. He said the union will apply to the Cape Town High Court on Monday to be able to gather and march in that city.
”We see the prohibition to gather and march as an infringement of our democratic rights and we will fight for it.” — Sapa