Truck drivers who are
unhappy with their wages
or working conditions are
increasingly turning to
theft (diesel or goods) to
supplement their income
– but should instead be
joining unions “in their
numbers” to ensure they
have a collective voice in
their fight against unfair
employers.
That’s according to
Tabudi Ramakgolo,
national road freight
coordinator at the South
African Transport
and Allied Workers'
Union (Satawu), who
pointed out
that that this
would also
strengthen
wage
negotiations
with the
National
Bargaining
Council for
the Road
Freight and
Logistics
Industry
(NBCRFLI).
Truck
drivers’
working conditions came
under the spotlight recently
on the SA Long Distance
Truckers’ (SALT) Facebook
page where a truck driver
pointed out that he was
not receiving the salary
he’d agreed upon with his
employer – and nor was
he receiving his daily food
allowance of R120. He was
also not receiving payslips
that could be used as proof
of his salary.
He said he had done in
excess of 16 000 kilometres
during the month of
May, with “good fuel
consumption”, no damages
and a strong payload. Yet,
his monthly salary was
less than R10 000 (he was
promised R15 000 and a
daily food allowance).
He said he could not
leave his job as he had a
wife and children to take
care of and he mostly went
hungry on his trips because
the majority of his wage
went towards
caring for
them.
In response
to his post,
truck drivers
aired their
grievances –
which ranged
from the
long hours
they spent
on the road,
the constant
camera
surveillance
they were
subjected to even as they
slept, and the pay by load
system.
A number of truck
operators and f leet owners
also weighed in.
Most operators said on
the SALT page that they
paid between R13 000 and
R22 000, depending on
the distances clocked in
a month, the experience
of the driver and other
aspects such as low fuel
consumption and strong
payloads.
A truck driver added
that the R120 daily food
allowance, as dictated
by the NBCRFLI, was
necessary because drivers’
only options for food were
cafes and fast food outlets
at truck stops and filling
stations.
A few drivers told FTW
confidentially that they
had sold diesel to make
ends meet in the past and
had also considered simply
abandoning the truck, with
its load, on the side of the
road when their employers
hadn’t paid them what they
thought was fair – or if they
were stuck just outside a
border at night because of
the congestion. “We are
targets for criminals who
want the diesel, the goods
or even the truck. When
we get such little pay,
sometimes it is easier to
just walk away, or give in
to criminals’ demands for
diesel or goods. That way
at least we also benefit,” he
said.
A local road freight
operator told FTW off the
record that most truck
drivers got “decent wages”,
noting that they would be
better unionised if this was
not the case.
“But there are those
operators
who simply
f lout the
conditions
and wages
set by the
bargaining
council in
an effort
to make a
better profit.
And they
do exploit
their workers
who are
often foreign
nationals
desperate
for a job and
who aren’t in a
position to make
waves,” he said.
Drivers who
work for retailers
or manufacturing
companies who keep
their transportation and
distribution in-house are
not represented by the
NBCRFLI, with some
drivers reporting on the
SALT page that their
wages are way below what
the bargaining council
recommends.
This was confirmed
recently by Magretia
Brown-Engelbrecht, labour
relations manager at the
Road Freight Association
(RFA), who said that the
NBCRFLI recommended
wages were only applicable,
by law, to “operators who
transport goods for gain”.
This means operators who
are contracted to supply a
transport or distribution
service to a client.
“The big retailers who
have their own trucks
and drivers are excluded
from the provisions of
the NBCRFLI,” she said,
adding that all transport
employers who fell under
the jurisdiction of the
NBCRFLI were currently
obligated to comply with
the wage rate set by the
NBCRFLI.
“Non-compliant
companies can be reported
to the bargaining council
if set wage rates are
not honoured,” Brown-
Engelbrecht pointed out,
noting that complaints
were subject to an
enforcement process.
When we get such
little pay, sometimes
it is easier to just
walk away, or give in
to criminals’ demands
for diesel or goods.
– Truck driver
