A Metrobus strike looks set to continue on Tuesday amid threats by the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) to expand the industrial action into a secondary strike.
However, the Johannesburg public bus company said that the first day of the strike on Monday did not have a huge impact on commuters.
Samwu spokesperson Dumisani Langa, whose members are in a dispute with Metrobus over sick leave, said the union is awaiting a proposal from the company before it can make an informed decision about the way forward.
No such approach had been made by 4pm, he said.
Metrobus spokesperson Charles Hlebele could not be reached for comment at that time.
Langa said workers were told in 2005 that they stood to lose sick leave accumulated over 15 years if it was not taken within 30 days.
Hlebele disputed this. He said the company and the union had reached an agreement in 2003 stipulating that accumulated sick leave should be taken within the next two years.
He said all affected workers who qualified and decided to exercise their right were paid their full benefits in December 2005.
”Our position is that the issue was discussed and negotiated; there is an agreement … We do not really understand what the problem is … they [the union] were part of the negotiations.”
Langa rejected this, saying Samwu had gone through the correct forums and is on a protected strike.
Meanwhile, about 80% of Metrobus buses ran on Monday morning, said Hlebele. — Sapa