The United National Transport Union (UNTU) is taking legal advice to enforce the contractual rights of its members working for the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) for the 5% wage increase that was due on 1 April 2021.
To date Prasa has failed to adhere to the second year of a collective agreement and pay this year’s wage increase.
Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU, says the nature of the Union’s further legal action will be announced in due course.
“The Union won’t allow any party, including Government and State-Owned Enterprises, to make a mockery out of collective bargaining, one of the pillars of our Labour Relations Act (LRA),” says Harris.
This comes after Acting Judge Reghana Tulk of the Labour Court in Johannesburg denied the Union’s urgent application last week saying that there was no urgency and that she did not have jurisdiction to rule on the matter.
Earlier Zolani Matthews, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Prasa, informed the leadership of UNTU that Prasa is committed to paying the 5% wage increase in terms of a multi-term agreement, but does not have the money to pay. Prasa is trying to secure the money from the Department of Transport and National Treasury.
UNTU will keep its members abreast of developments.
