Road transport industry reaches wage accord

Strike threat off ALAN PEAT CONSENSUS HAS been reached in wage negotiations with the road transport industry setting aside fears of strike action. At this year’s meeting of the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight Industry (NBCRFI) on February 6, the unions and the Road Freight Employers’ Association (RFEA) reached agreement in wage negotiations. It is to be a 6% minimum wage increase - and 6.5% across-the-board for those earning more than that, according to information released to FTW by the council’s national secretary, Joe Letswalo. Also, all the employees will make a minimum of 8.5 % contribution to the provident fund, and the long-distance drivers will get a minimum of 6% allowance increase. “Road freight industry growth will only be sustainable when economic and social cohesions are managed and wages reflect productivity,” Letswalo said. Both sides, workers and employers, are content with the eventual agreement reached, and there’s no call for any strike action this year, according to Ronnie Mamba, national media officer for the SA Transport and General Workers Union (Satawu) – the biggest union in SA’s transport network. “We’re very happy,” he said succinctly. “It’s giving the workers time to concentrate on what they do best – giving their employers effective labour.” The employers’ body is equally content, according to Magretia Brown, labour relations manager of the Road Freight Association (RFA). “We have no complaints about this agreement,” she said. The council also has another task on hand, Brown told FTW. The NBCRFI is looking at creating five chambers for the different sections of the road transport industry – divided up into the sections: General freight and logistics; cash in transit; furniture removal; motor ferries; and sugar cane and forestry operations. “This,” said Letswalo, “will enable each of these divisions to deal with specific issues affecting them.” Although they will all still fall under the general ambit of the council, it makes sense to separate them in individual negotiations, according to Brown. “We have found, for example,” she said, “that the labour component in the removals sector needs them to be considered separately. “We are looking at negotiations - each under their own heading where need be.”