Strike parties’ talks going well

Transnet and unions give no details
ALAN PEAT
THE STRATEGIC task team of union representatives and Transnet management – designed to discuss the unions’ grievances about the para-statal’s intention of selling off or transferring a number of its non-core subsidiaries – is progressing satisfactorily, according to a union source. This route was followed after Transnet CE, Maria Ramos, and her team met with the unions to attempt to find a settlement for the series of national Transnet workers’ strikes earlier this year – which virtually shut the port of Durban for three days. But FTW has been unable to get any detail of the labour/Transnet discussions, as an agreement was made before the negotiations started that the parties would remain silent until the three weeks of discussions were concluded. Meetings But Ronnie Mamba, national communications officer of the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu), did give us an update on the series of meetings. “I checked with the national officials,” he said, “and it is clear that the consultative process is progressing fairly well between labour, Transnet and the rest of the consultative team.” However, Mamba remained silent on the issues being discussed. “There is no obvious fall-out,” he added, “but unfortunately they are all rather guarded at this stage and they requested that we hold our horses with regards to releasing information.”