Transnet and unions agree on wage deal

After lengthy negotiations with recognised trade unions, Satawu and Utatu, Transnet has agreed to an 8.5% across-the-board increase in basic pensionable pay. The terms of the agreement were finalised at the Transnet Bargaining Council on Wednesday. This is good news for the industry which was crippled last year when failure to reach agreement resulted in a 17-day strike estimated to have cost billions of rand in lost revenue. Commenting on the agreement, group chief executive, Brian Molefe, said: “This milestone will go a long way towards strengthening relations with our most important stakeholder – our employees – and, I believe, will have a significant impact on morale and productivity. Crucially, this settlement will enable us to focus on achieving our operational goals for the year.” “It’s also encouraging that this was done with no disruption to our operations, a positive sign for our relationship,” he added. Zenzo Mahlangu, Satawu’s general secretary, said he was happy with the agreement and impressed that although there were issues, there was also a high level of maturity on both sides. “That we were able to agree on terms without resorting to drastic measures shows that we are heading in the right direction and that we are growing.” Utatu president George Strauss expressed similar sentiments.