The security guard strike could be over by next week, the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) said on Friday.
Speaking to Satawu members gathered in central Johannesburg, Satawu general secretary Randall Howard said the union had heard from reliable sources that ”white employers” would return to negotiations.
He told protesters that the trade union met with ”black employers” who agreed that the strike could not end without holding negotiations with Satawu.
”We have divided black and white employers and that is a victory.”
Howard said Satawu, together with the Congress of South African Trade Unions, had come up with ”Operation Intensify”.
”They [the employers] are arrogant because they are not feeling the pinch, they are not feeling the heat. We should mobilise workers from all sectors and make sure that employers feel the pinch.”
He said it was never Satawu’s intention to strike for two months, but it was forced to by the employers’ arrogance.
Howard said Satawu would make sure that an agreement was reached when the trade union and employers met at the offices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
”We will remain in that room until we have reached an agreement that will benefit our members,” he told the crowd.
Private security companies’ clients were as much to blame as the employers, Howard said. He called on banks, schools, clinics, hospitals and government departments who use the services of security companies to intervene.
The Satawu leadership criticised the police and some African National Congress leaders, pointing out that some of them had interests in the security industry.
Jackson Simon, Satawu’s spokesperson, said the police were quick to announce to the media when they arrested Satawu members. ”But police did not go to the media and say they had arrested the wrong people when our members were released.”
Jackson said there were forces within the police who were using state resources to discredit the Satawu strike.
ANC national executive committee member Cyril Ramaphosa had shares in Protea Security and other ANC leaders had shares in Stallion Security, Simon said.
”You can’t, on the other hand, represent the people and make money on the other side. We do not need representatives like that. It is an issue we must reject in our society,” Howard said.
”This is a call to Ramaphosa, [Tokyo] Sexwale, Mcebisi Skwatsha and everybody who knows that he has business interests, we will find you and tell you to do the right thing.”
He lashed out at the media, especially the Sowetan newspaper, for reporting that the strike had been called off.
”Satawu does not call off strikes that are protected. We had to comply with the court order,” he said.
The Labour Court’s interdict was granted after Transnet, the Road Freight Employers’ Association and four companies from the tollgate industry brought applications opposing the secondary strike.
These came after the Cape High Court granted the South African Bus Employers’ Association an interdict against the strike.
The National Contract Cleaning Association had already won its bid to have the sympathy strike declared unprotected.
After Thursday’s orders, Satawu leaders decided to call off the strike, which they believed would have helped put pressure on the primary employers to return to the negotiating table.
Satawu and the security guards’ employers have deadlocked over pay negotiations. Guards belonging to Satawu have been on strike since March 23.
Most strikers said their lives were badly affected by the strike, but they supported it.
”I don’t care how long the strike lasts as long as I get what I want at the end,” said Magic Zakes, who has worked for 12 years as a security guard.
Zakes works at a plant in Pretoria. He relies on the R1 500-a-month salary to support his unemployed wife and six children.
Johannes Thobejane, from KwaThema on the East Rand, said he would not go back to work until employers agreed to an 11% increase and improved working conditions.
”The problem is that these days me and my family rely on friends and extended family members to make ends meet,” said Thobejane.
The protesters dispersed peacefully and vowed to return to Beyers Naude Square in Johannesburg on Monday. — Sapa