Union leaders are to seek a mandate from striking security guards to return to work on Thursday, the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) said.
”Once the employers are willing to come back to the negotiating table, we are willing to send our workers back [to work],” said Satawu security coordinator Jackson Simon. ”But we will obtain a mandate from our workers later in the day [Tuesday].”
This comes after employers sent unions a letter late on Monday requesting a meeting for Friday — provided the guards return to work.
Simon confirmed Satawu has received a letter from employers asking for a meeting on Friday at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
”As Satawu we agree in principle to this and we look forward to the meeting, which we believe will lay a foundation for a resolution to this matter.”
He said employers have also asked that 14 other unions that accepted an 8,3% wage increase on April 1 attend as well.
A spokesperson for the employers’ organisation, Steve Friswell, said: ”We’ve responded to the CCMA’s invitation that we got on Thursday last week to attend an exploratory meeting, and we’ve said we will be able to attend on Friday.”
Friswell said employers are waiting for a response from both the CCMA and unions.
On Friday, the CCMA postponed the meeting for a date this week after the employers’ association said it was not ready to meet yet.
Satawu members have been on strike since March 23. Fourteen other unions accepted an 8,3% increase on April 1, while Satawu members continue to strike, holding out for 11%.
Further demands include an extra 4% raise for the lowest-paid workers, as well as four months’ paid maternity leave. — Sapa