Numsa agrees to CCMA’s request for conciliation with Gautrain

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The National Union of Mineworkers (Numsa) has confirmed that it’s accepted a request from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) to participate in a conciliation process with Gautrain.

Workers affiliated to Numsa earlier staged a picket over a wage dispute.

The union is demanding a revised 9% increase and guaranteed bonuses among other things.

Numsa National Spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola says they’ve been open to engagement.

“This opportunity gives us a chance to hopefully deal with some of the other demands so that we can resolve this strike. There are other demands that we have to surface. The issue around the bonuses. Bonuses are a reflection of the performance of the company. Gautrain would not be able to reach any type of performance without ordinary workers certainly the blue-collar workers who are actually responsible for the performance of the Gautrain. So it is our view that if the bonus is a guaranteed bonus then it’s a bonus that must be paid to everyone.”

CEO of the Gautrain Management Agency, Tshepo Kgobe says they’re determined to resolve the strike so that employees can return to work.

“We’ve managed this morning’s peak, we are managing this afternoon’s peak. We will continue to manage over a period of time. The biggest challenge that you sit with is that when you have limited staff, the issue of rotation comes into play. So every company has a business continuity plan, we have implemented ours and it’s working out well. But it’s unsustainable and therefore that is why we have taken the time to make sure that the parties come back onto the table to negotiate.”

NUMSA members at Gautrain are on strike. They are demanding 13% increase, 60% contribution to medical aid and guaranteed bonuses.#ForTheLoveofTheWorkingClass #WorkersUnite
❤️🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/hWZA3anLGX

— NUMSA (@Numsa_Media) July 8, 2024