Employers in bus wage talks say Numsa demands are “unaffordable” | Fin24

Striking workers arrived at Clover’s Clayville operation on Thursday and attacked security personnel.

• The South African Bus Employers Association and the Commuter
  Bus Employers Organisation say the bus sector could not afford union wage demands. 
• Employers said the
  sector suffered job losses which cut employee numbers reducing from 24 000 in
  2020 to 15 000 in 2022.
• Employers said demands represent almost a 35% employee
  cost increase which was unaffordable in light of the sector’s many challenges.

The South African Bus Employers Association (Sebea) and the
Commuter Bus Employers Organisation (Cobeo) have called wage demands from the
National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) unaffordable.

The employer associations in the bus passenger sector have
been in talks with unions at the South African Road Passenger Bargaining
Council (Sarpbac) since the beginning of the year. However, the talks have been in a deadlock that
prompted the bargaining council to issue labour a certificate of non-resolution.

Numsa has since approached the Commission for Conciliation,
Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) for a strike certificate. The union confirmed
this past week that it is in the process of finalising picket rules and is on
the verge of a strike.

Numsa demanded wage hikes in the passenger bus sector that
would see the lowest-earning category of employees receive a R4200 pay bump and
earn as much as R12 000.

The union also demanded of range of allowances for late
shift work and expenses such as travel. Employers are offering a 2.5% increase to
the lowest-earning category of employees.

READ | Numsa ‘on the verge’ of passenger bus strike after continued deadlock

A joint statement by Sabea and Cobeo said the passenger
transport industry faced several challenges in recent years, such as the impact
of Covid-19 on operations, increasing unemployment, poor economic conditions,
and reduced passenger numbers.

“Significant job losses have already taken place with
employee numbers reducing from 24 000 in 2020 to 15 000 in 2022,” the statement
said.

The statement said employers in the sector could not afford
the wage increase demands from labour or any of the added benefits and allowances
in labour’s list of demands.

“The current demands represent almost a 35% employee cost
increase which is unaffordable in an industry already facing many challenges,” the statement said.

READ | Numsa wants R4 200 wage hike for lowest paid bus drivers

Numsa secretary general Irvin Jim said the union tried its
best to avoid a strike in the sector, but that employers refused to budge from
their offer, “forcing” Numsa to go outside of the bargaining process.

“We are currently observing the mandatory 30-day
cooling-off period, after which we can serve the 48-hours notice to strike. We
have also concluded picketing rules. The cooling-off period will end on 13
April which is two days before Good Friday weekend,” said Jim.

Jim said Numsa rejected the offer from employers, saying it
would create a “two-tier labour market” where some workers are paid
more than others for the same work.

The joint statement from Sebea and Cobeo said employers and
bus operators represented at Sarpbac remain committed to the negotiation process
and would continue trying “to find amicable solutions”.

Get the biggest business stories emailed to you every weekday.

Go to the Fin24 front page.