Residents from Roodepoort and surrounding areas using the Rea Vaya bus service to commute will be happy to know the service is operating normally again.
The employees of Rea Vaya and Putco downed tools on 11 April to engage in wage negotiations. According to the Minister of Transport, Joe Maswanganyi, an agreement was signed by almost all of the unions at the wage negotiations held at the South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council. The signing of the agreement brought an end to the strike with immediate effect on 14 April.
“This breakthrough in negotiations brought immediate relief to many vulnerable commuters who were planning to travel during the Easter weekend to attend religious pilgrimages and on holiday. It also assisted in reducing congestion at the end of the Easter weekend,” Maswanganyi said.
The agreement was signed by the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), the Transport and Allied Workers Union (Tawu), the Professional Transport and Allied Workers Union (Ptawu) and the Transport and Allied Services Workers Union (Taswu), but the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) did not sign the agreement, stating that they first wanted to consult with their members. “Although the Government respects Numsa’s decisions, we urged them to join the other unions in signing the agreement as soon as possible,” said Maswanganyi.
Maswanganyi thanked all the labour unions as well as the employer parties involved in the negotiations – the SA Bus Employers’ Association (Sabea) and Commuter Bus Employers Organisation (Cobeo) – for their cooperation in finding a quick and amicable solution to the strike.
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