PORT ELIZABETH - PE COMMUTERS CAN BREATHE A SIGH OF RELIEF AS ALGOA BUS DRIVERS RETURN TO WORK ON TUESDAY

Bus commuters in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro will breathe a sigh of relief on Tuesday morning when the striking bus drivers return to work.

The Algoa Bus Company drivers have called off the wage strike that began last Wednesday.

The decision was taken after their mother body Numsa accepted the 9.5% salary increase agreement with the employers.

Taxis are still the most popular mode of transport in the townships, about 20% of commuters still use buses.

But the aged and those who work in the suburbs have been the hardest hit by the strike. They have been forced to make alternative transport arrangements thus incurring extra costs.

Numsa is one of the last of the transport unions to agree to the 9.5% increase.

But they have reluctantly accepted the new offer.

National Treasurer Mphumzi Maqungu has also criticised the unions for agreeing to the agreement before consulting their members.

“As Numsa, we have consolidated the mandate from our members. This was the last general meeting. We were given a mandate to go back to work. Our members are not happy, but because we subscribe by a decision taken by the majority to go back to work. All what we are calling or is that early tomorrow we must go back to work. And no employer must victimise or harass our members because of the strike.”

"We are glad that we are going to work but we didn't achieve what we were striking for"
Some of the drivers still believe that the decision to end the strike was premature and accused Satawu, Tawusa and Tawu of selling out.

“This was not the mandate. The mandate was to fight for 15% or double digit. We are glad that we are going to work, but we didn't achieve what we were striking for. But our union is telling us to go back to work.”

Although Numsa is not completely satisfied with the package, as a union they are pleased with the 12-month agreement as opposed to the three-year wage agreements that are usually signed.

VIA - sabc