Bargaining Council says Easter bus strike would be illegal

The South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council (SARPBC) has warned that any strike action by bus drivers within the next 30 days would be illegal.

This announcement follows threats from the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) to embark on a strike after wage negotiations with employers reached another deadlock on Monday.

SATAWU is currently demanding a two-year wage agreement, which includes a 6.5% across-the-board increase in the second year. Conversely, employer organisations are offering increases of no more than 3.5%.

By law, a 30-day cooling-off period is required once a formal wage dispute is declared between a trade union and an employer.

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During this window, both parties are mandated to attempt to resolve their differences through conciliation before any industrial action can legally take place.

In this instance:

Start Date: The cooling-off period began yesterday.

End Date: The period remains in effect until April 15.

Despite these legal requirements, SATAWU has indicated that a strike is likely to occur over the Easter weekend in the first week of April.

SARPBC General Secretary, Gary Wilson, has been clear about the consequences of premature action.

"If they go on strike over the weekend, then it would be an illegal strike because the cooling-off period is not finished. You can’t do anything during the cooling-off period."

SATAWU maintains a firm stance, stating it will only return to the negotiating table if it receives assurances that its demands will be met.