The South Africa Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) will sign an agreement that essentially ends the strike in the road freight sector, the union said on Wednesday.
The agreement will be signed with the Road Freight Employers’ Association (RFEA).
The union said it had reported back to all the provinces and striking workers.
It said it had received ”an overwhelming mandate” to sign the agreement.
The union confirmed that it had received increases for road freight industry workers from grades 1 to 5.
The across-the-board increase in the first year had been set at 11% and at 9,5% by March 1 2010.
The introduction of a danger allowance for the first time — at 0,5% on determined wages for drivers who transport hazardous chemicals — would be effective from March 1 2010, Satawu said.
There had been a ”radical improvement” of the maternity leave benefit to four months paid, with a job guarantee on return to work which would apply to all women in the industry after six months of employment.
Satawu said the commitment by the RFEA to recognise the need to include all workers under the scope of the bargaining council — in particular the administration and clerical categories — was still subject to a process of verification.
”Satawu is satisfied that on balance it has achieved all its objectives as a result of negotiations and through the unity, resolve and power of its members on the ground,” the union said.
It called on all employers not to victimise any of its members as a result of their participation in the strike which began last week on Tuesday.
In a separate statement, the RFEA confirmed the agreement with the four road freight unions — Satawu, the Motor Transport Workers’ Union, the Professional Transport Workers’ Union and the Transport and Allied Workers’ Union of South Africa.
The agreement included an across-the-board increase of 11% for all employees who were currently covered by the Road Freight Bargaining Council, the RFEA said.
”The implementation of the agreement is linked to the minister of labour promulgating it and extending it to non-parties, which the department of labour indicated may happen by mid-May,” the RFEA added. — Sapa