The roadfreight industry is bracing for strike action on September 24 following a deadlock in negotiations between unions and the Road Freight Employers’ Association (RFEA). While negotiations between the unions and the road freight industry over wage increases continues, the unions have indicated their members will go on strike at 6am on September 24. According to Vincent Masoga, acting national media officer for the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), the decision to strike follows weeks of deadlock in the wage negotiations. “We do not believe our demand of a 9% wage increase is unreasonable. The employer is, however, only willing to increase its initial offer of 6% to 7%. They leave us with no choice but to strike.” Negotiations this week continue as the unions and the RFEA try to find a solution to the deadlock. In a statement the RFEA said a meeting had been scheduled in an attempt to resolve the dispute. The road freight industry saw strike action in 2009 and 2011 during wage talks. Current talks have been in progress since June 1 and deadlocked in August. Despite arbitration measures with the CCMA no settlement has been reached.
