Allegedly dangerous working conditions – involving the offloading of pallets weighing as much as 1.5 tonnes at supermarkets around Johannesburg – led truck drivers working for a major transport company to embark on an unprotected strike last week.
Several of the drivers, who spoke to FTW on condition of anonymity – as they are not entirely unionised and fear losing their jobs – said about 50 drivers had gone on strike at the Pick n Pay Distribution Centre in Longmeadow in Johannesburg. The drivers are demanding the reinstatement of three truck drivers who were allegedly fired for refusing to offload the trucks at delivery points.
But the employer, Unitrans, has alleged in papers served on the employees as part of an internal disciplinary hearing that their duties included “the loading and discharging of product” and that they had refused to obey a lawful instruction by not offloading the goods. One of the truck drivers said the staff had gone back to work after their employer had agreed to consider their demands and meet with them.
The workers have alleged that drivers have died and been seriously injured while offloading heavy pallets but they claim management has not listened to their concerns. A worker who spoke to FTW on condition of anonymity said he had been injured a few years ago when offloading a truck but his ‘injured on duty’ claim to the Department of Labour had failed.
“I was injured at the back of the truck offloading more than one tonne (of goods). Even the doctor said I must not drive the truck,” he said. Another truck driver said there had been many who had been injured while offloading trucks. “There have been many injured on duty and others who are even dead like Cosmos Soha who twisted his back when offloading a heavy pallet. He cried with back pain until he died. I was forced to offload the trucks and I refused and I got suspended.
When they load the truck they use a machine and we take it out at the customer and they expect us to push it with our hands,” he said. “The drivers are saying if you fire these three drivers we are not working, fire us all,” he said. Pick n Pay referred questions about the allegations to Unitrans, their employer. Unitrans CEO Theunis Nel said certain Unitrans drivers had recently embarked on an unprotected strike near the Pick n Pay Longmeadow distribution centre.
“Following constructive engagement, the strike ended within two days and employees returned to normal operations. A number of matters were raised by employee representatives in relation to the strike, which will be appropriately investigated and addressed,” Nel said. “Unitrans will continue to engage constructively with its employees, suppliers and customers in order to promote fair, responsible and sustainable operations,” Nel said.
He said Unitrans endeavoured to always comply with the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, the Labour Relations Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Road Traffic Act. “Unitrans further operates within the framework of the National Bargaining Council ‘Main Agreement’ for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry,” he said.
Striking workers in Longmeadow, Johannesburg.
