Private sector urges consultation in strike aftermath

Rumour of national ‘tools-down’ in March
ALAN PEAT
THE THREE day strike at Durban more or less paralysed the port, and all the transport industries – both sea and land - serving it. It also had a lesser impact in Richards Bay and the Free State, which were also deadlined by the unions for strikes during the same week. No-one was however prepared to even thumb-suck at the overall cost of the industrial action. Just too many business and industry areas are hit by the repercussions of a major port strike – and there is lingering after-damage that has yet to make its effects known. Multi-millions of rands in lost time, possible lost orders, possible factory slow- or shut-downs because of lack of imported raw materials, and a paralysed transport business, is the best description of the impact. That and the potential on-going damage to SA’s reputation as a reliable exporter. It has seriously hurt both import and export industries, according to LM Pelser, new executive director of the SASC. Dead cargo and lack of raw materials for the production industry are just two of worries Pelser expressed. Although it’s back-to-work as usual in Durban now, the strike threat carries on, with the four unions – the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu), United Association of SA (Uasa) and the SA Railway and Harbour Workers’ Union (Sarhwu) – planning this as just the first in a series of area strikes. The second block of Transnet workers due to go out on protected strike will be those in the Eastern Cape next week on February 13, followed by workers in the Northern Cape and Western Cape on February 14, and by Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga and Limpopo on February 20. There is also rumour – as yet unconfirmed - that everything might culminate in a national strike some time in early March. Although private sector business is moaning about losses, there is a surprising amount of support for the workers’ cause. The unions contend that the reason for the strikes is that Transnet – the holding company for Spoornet, Petronet, Metrorail, the National Ports Authority (NPA) and SA Port Operations (Sapo) amongst others - was being restructured without proper consultation with workers. • As this issue went to press SAA was awaiting news of whether its workers would be allowed to join the strike since SAA, while part of Transnet, is not part of its collective bargaining structures. The airline had obtained an interim interdict preventing its employees from participating.