Satawu calls Transnet's wage deal with UNTU a 'betrayal' of workers, vows to continue strike

• The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union said it would continue to strike at Transnet, despite the entity's new wage deal.
• The union called Transnet's three-year deal with the United National Transport Union a betrayal of workers' interests.
• The deal includes a 6% increase in year one, a 5.5% increase in year two, and a 6% increase in year three. 
• For more financial stories, go to the News24 Business front page.

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) has vowed to continue striking at Transnet, calling the entity's three-year wage deal with the United National Transport Union (UNTU) a "betrayal" of workers.

On Monday afternoon, Transnet announced that it had reached a three-year deal with UNTU, the largest union at the bargaining table under the auspices of the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA).

The statement said the removal of a "no-retrenchment clause" and Transnet's power to restructure any areas of its business due to economic or structural reasons would be a setback to all bargaining workers.

"Irrespective of the employer's commitment to comply with all provisions of its existing recognition agreement and prevailing legislation, material reality dictates that the bane and whip of retrenchments will be directed to the rank and file," said the statement. 

"In summary, our industrial action should continue as planned regardless of the betrayal in question," the statement added.