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Press Room Media Releases 2010
Press Room Media Releases 2010
| Rea Vaya resumes services |
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| Tuesday, 11 May 2010 |
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THE Rea Vaya BRT will resume rendering normal services again on Tuesday 11th May after a one day labour dispute. "We would like to apologise to commuters for the lack of service on Monday 11 May," said the CEO of Clidet, Jackie Huntley, "and are pleased that the labour dispute was resolved speedily and services can be back to normal. The Rea Vaya BRT service in its current form is operated by Clidet 957, a private company that is contracted by the City of Johannesburg to operate Rea Vaya BRT services. The service is presently managed by the Interim CEO, with the support contractors, pending the conclusion of taxi industry negotiations, after which the taxi operators affected by the introduction of Rea Vaya BRT Service, will take ownership and management control of Clidet. Recently SAMWU began organizing the over 100 bus drivers and other staff employed by Clidet and on 29 March 2010, requested organizational rights from the employer. This request brought to the fore the problem that Clidet as a private company is a member of the South African Road Passenger Bargaining Council ("SARPBAC",) while SAMWU represents employees within local government and not the private sector service providers such as Clidet. There is thus a jurisdictional dispute in this regards as SAMWU falls under the South African Local Government Bargaining Council ("SALGBC"). A number of meetings were held between SAMWU, the worker representatives and Clidet to try to resolve this issue including an offer by Clidet that the parties jointly approach the CCMA for a demarcation ruling which would be binding on both parties. On Thursday evening 6 May 2010, the worker's representatives issued a letter stating that they will not operate buses on Monday 10 May 2010 if SAMWU has not been appointed/ recognized by the company. Despite further attempts by Clidet management to avert the strike the bus drivers embarked on an illegal and unprotected strike on Monday morning 10th May 2010. After intense negotiations during the course of the day, an agreement was reached at about 7pm. The Recognition and Procedural Agreement between Clidet and SAMWU grants SAMWU the right to negotiate on behalf of Clidet worker on substantive issues, other than negotiations on salaries, and that such negotiations may take place at plant level, subject to the provisions of the Labour Relation Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. The Agreement acknowledges the demarcation dispute and agrees to work jointly to resolve it. The Agreement thus further indicates that negotiations over salaries shall be subject to a bargaining council determined through the resolution of the demarcation dispute. This provision will not prejudice Clidet workers as the substantive issues agreed to at SARPBAC for the 2010/2011 financial year have been implemented in the company. "I hope the agreement will lay the sound foundations for healthy labour relations in Clidet and the future bus operating company", concludes Ms Huntley. For more information contact: Jackie Huntley +2782 772 4796 |
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