Johannesburg - The National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry on Saturday distanced itself from an agreement in the cash-in-transit sector.
“The parties therefore do not recognise this so-called agreement,” spokeswoman Karen Daniels said in a statement.
On Saturday morning the Road Freight Employers Association (RFEA) said the strike was over in the cash-in-transit sector.
“The majority union in the cash-in-transit (sector), last night signed an agreement,” RFEA spokeswoman Magretia Brown-Engelbrecht said in a statement.
“This means that CIT employees will cease participation in the strike with immediate effect and are returning to duty.”
She said the agreement that was signed on Friday night was similar to the offer that the RFEA tabled to the unions on September 22 before the strike started.
However, Daniels said that none of the parties in the freight and logistics industry mandated any of its members to conclude an agreement outside the formal process.
“The formal process is going ahead and the parties remain committed to the CCMA facilitated process,” said Daniels.
Brown-Engelbrecht added that the talks between the RFEA, unions, cash-in-transit sector's three companies and the Motor Transport Workers Unions continued on Saturday.
Freight logistics workers began their strike on Monday after employers and unions failed to reach an agreement on wages. Unions reverted to a 12 percent pay demand after rejecting a lower offer tabled by employers on Tuesday.
The RFEA had proposed a staggered increase of 8.5 percent effective from March, and a further 0.5 percent from September next year. - Sapa