Joint+Press+Release+on+the+Transnet+Dispute+(4+unions)

=Joint Press Release on the Transnet Dispute=


 * Issued by Satawu, Utatu, Sarwhu and Uasa**

The dispute with Transnet over its restructuring plans continues. No proposals for resolution of the issues in dispute have been forthcoming from management. The four unions are therefore rolling out their plans for action. All four unions will be issuing a strike notice on the Transnet Bargaining Council and on Transnet this afternoon. 48 hours after the strike notice has been issued, protected strike action will be permissible. The first areas to go out on strike will be Kwa Zulu Natal and Free State, starting 6am on Monday 30th. Free State workers will strike for one day, and KZN workers will strike for three days, culminating in a march in Durban on 1st February. The second block of Transnet workers to go out on strike will be workers in the Eastern Cape on 13th February followed by Northern Cape and Western Cape on 14th February, followed by and Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo on 20th February. Should the dispute still not be resolved the unions will recommend a national strike on 6th March. The four unions jointly represent all grades of. workers within Transnet including some managerial staff. The total workforce of Transnet is in the region of 85,000. The dispute is about the process of negotiation over the restructuring or the Group. Transnet wants to
 * 27th January 2006**


 * Privatise some businesses or parts of business units such as Freightdynamics, Transnet Pension Fund Administration, Autopax and the Blue Train;
 * Transfer SAA, Metrorail and Shosholoza Meyl out of Transnet, but these would remain publicly owned; and
 * Transfer sections of some business units to another within Transnet such as the transfer of some rail engineering workers from Spoornet to Transwerk.

The changes will directly affect 30 000 workers. We have never claimed that this number of jobs is at stake. What is at stake is the employment conditions of the affected workers and their future job security. Management is moving ahead with the exits and transfers before the negotiation process has finalised issues such as collective bargaining rights, pension rights, travel concessions and so on. Management has also been unwilling to enter into serious discussions around the proposed privatizations. These have been presented as management decisions, not to be amended. The dispute is indicative of a general breakdown in the relationship between the unions and Transnet. SATAWU : Randall Howard (0825646298) or Jane Barrett (0828278561) UTATU :   Chris de Vos (0828825920) or Steve Harris (0825665516) or SARWHU : Shadrack Ntuli (0833769363) UASA:       Gerhard Ueckerman 011 472 3600 (ext 178) **
 * For further information contact: