What was the impact of the strike?

According to Brown the majority of the RFEA’s member companies continued with their operations and could still meet their contractual obligations. “To a minimal extent some of our members and their employees wanting to work experienced violence and intimidation, which the RFEA condemned. “Satawu however denied that its members were actually the perpetrators. One has to wonder though why anyone who would not benefit from inflicting such intimidation would partake in it. However, we entered the strike with an 11% offer for across-theboard increases on the table and that is what we walked out with at the end of the strike. That in itself speaks for the impact or lack thereof, on employers in the industry.” Satawu disagreed saying the strike had had a major impact. “We prepared very well and our members were very highly mobilised, understanding what we were fighting for. “Roadfreight and logistic transport workers are strategically located in the economy and any withdrawal hits right at the heart of economic activity. We therefore saw indisputable impact in retail, fuel, agriculture, construction, medical waste and many other sectors as most goods and products are moved by road in South Africa,” said Howard. “The operations of the employers were affected hence the attempt to used replacement labour.” He said Satawu opposed the violence and consistently asked its members to refrain from acts of violence and criminality – and they complied. According to Meier the real impact of the strike was loss to all parties involved. “Employees lost wages and overtime and they will get late increases (May vs March), while employers have lost revenue and customer confidence and credibility.”