Unions ‘content’ with NPA bill changes

THE THREE port unions are content with the most recent change to the NPA Bill, according to Jane Barrett, policy officer for the SA Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu).
“Our involvement with the parliamentary committee was purely on the bill,” she said.
“The question there was the loss to Transnet of the NPA.”
But, with the parliamentary committee decision to delay the divorce until Transnet declared itself ready to go, the port unions’ preference for state ownership of the authority is temporarily satisfied.
The issue of SA Port Operations (Sapo) - where the first steps to privatisation are to be taken under the “concessioning” procedure, which is due to come into effect this year - is being dealt with separately, Barrett told FTW.
“This will be dealt with by the ports restructuring committee comprising the three unions and the government departments of public enterprises (the lead department), transport and trade and industry.
“We had a meeting with the minister (of public enterprises), Jeff Radebe, in mid-May, and agreed that everything related to Sapo should be examined more closely before the concessioning gets underway.”
The restructuring committee was due to meet this week (July 21), Barrett added.
“We are under pressure to reach agreement sooner rather than later,” she said, “and the committee is also under considerable pressure to get everything decided before the concessioning is finalised.”