Bus strike has been effective‚ say unions

Unions representing bus drivers who have embarked on a national strike say while it is unfortunate that commuters have been inconvenienced‚ the strike has been effective.

“Tomorrow we will be engaging the employers for negotiations. And the outcome of the meeting will determine whether we continue or workers go back to work. It’s a pity this came at the expense of commuters‚” said Zanele Sabela‚ South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) spokesperson.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) says it fully supports the strike and is happy it has sent a strong message.

“This can be resolved if they just give the workers what they want. We are here because employers don’t want to give them their fair share. They had no option but to down tools. We are hopeful we will get what we want‚” said Dumisani Dakile‚ Cosatu Gauteng secretary.

The workers are seeking a 12% wage hike while the employers are offering a 7% increase.

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