Security bosses have agreed to meet the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) within days in a bid to end the union’s pay strike, the Cape Times reported on Tuesday.
Its website said the meeting was at the invitation of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), which is trying to broker a deal.
Spokesperson for the joint employers’ associations, Steve Friswell, said the employers sent a letter to the CCMA and the unions on Monday.
”We still need to meet with the unions. We have indicated that we will be available for a meeting on Friday, but there are a few conditions,” he said.
”We also need to get responses for Satawu and the other unions.”
Employers were as yet not prepared to divulge what the attached conditions were.
Satawu’s security co-ordinator Jackson Simon said all he knew was that the employers were meeting the 14 unions in about a week’s time.
On Friday, the CCMA postponed the meeting for a date this week after the employers association told them they were not ready to meet yet.
Last week, the employers said they would not be entering into any talks with Satawu. They have signed an 8,3% agreement with 14 other unions.
Satawu’s demands include an 11% wage increase, an extra 4% raise for the lowest paid workers, as well as four months paid maternity leave.
The Witness reported that the ongoing security guard strike was causing some companies in the industry to lose contracts for non-performance.
Its website cited the fate of a Pietermaritzburg security company owner who had lost major contracts in Howick because up to 70% of his guards did not report for duty.
”This is damaging to business because even the non-union members are staying away because they are scared,” said the owner who asked not be named. – Sapa