Negotiations between unions and bus companies on Thursday and Friday were mediated by the Commission for Conciliation‚ Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
Bus companies initially offered a 7% wage increase.
The CCMA mediator proposed an 8% increase in the first year and 8.5% in the second year of a two-year agreement.
Bus companies said they would accept the facilitator’s offer on condition that unions drop other demands such as payment for nightshift and matters linked to the insourcing of cleaning‚ workshop and technical staff...
Unions offered a 9.5% increase in the first year and 9% in the second year after their initial demand for a 12% increase.
Jim called on bus drivers to “tighten their belts” and “doubting Thomases” to join the strike.
“A strike is not a dinner party. Once workers embark on a strike‚ we do so as a last resort.”