Rédaction Africa Links 24 with sabcnews.com
Published on 2024-02-02 12:24:44
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) is pleased to announce that their members at Johannesburg’s Metrobus are satisfied with the resolution of some of their grievances through negotiations with Metrobus management. This update comes after a temporary halt in bus operations, leading to inconvenience for thousands of Metrobus commuters. Fortunately, services resumed on Friday morning following a productive meeting between SAMWU and the Metrobus management on Thursday night.
Tshepo Nathan, the spokesperson for Metrobus, expressed gratitude for the cooperation displayed by the union during the engagement session with management. He also acknowledged the commitment of the employees to resume their duties, stating, “Although we are continuing to have engagements with the labor, it is to be appreciated that our employees have indeed agreed to resume services.”
In response to concerns about future work stoppages, SAMWU Regional Chairperson Lebogang Ndawo affirmed that the negotiations have yielded positive outcomes. Workers are pleased that the imposed shifts will be revoked, allowing them to revert to their original schedules until a task team mandated to address the matter concludes its work. Ndawo further highlighted issues related to payment, emphasizing that employees anticipate a quicker resolution to delayed Special and Task (S and T) payments for hired events.
Despite the positive developments, Ndawo urged Metrobus to expedite the procurement of a new fleet of buses. He pointed out that the majority of the current fleet is old and experiences mechanical faults, posing challenges for operations. Although bus services partially resumed on Friday morning, there appeared to be confusion among commuters regarding specific routes.
Patricia Muwirizwa, a student at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), expressed uncertainty about the availability of her bus to Auckland Park. She stated, “I use 1849 to go home and I use this one that goes to UJ. I’m going to school for registration, there’s no one here. I’m going to wait for a bus until it comes or go for a taxi but it is too far.”
Despite the initial confusion, Metrobus assured that all routes would be normalized by the afternoon, providing relief to Johannesburg commuters.
In conclusion, the resolution of grievances between SAMWU and Metrobus has resulted in a positive outcome, with workers expressing satisfaction with the negotiated agreements. The resumption of bus services on Friday morning alleviated concerns among commuters, and efforts to address the concerns related to bus fleet procurement are ongoing. Through continued collaboration and engagement, SAMWU and Metrobus aim to improve labor relations and ensure efficient public transportation services for the residents of Johannesburg.
Read Original article on SABC
