MyCiTi wildcat strike set to begin

Cape Town. 150203. Myciti buses leaving Cape Town depot out of Cape Town. Pic COURTNEY AFRICA

Cape Town. 150203. Myciti buses leaving Cape Town depot out of Cape Town. Pic COURTNEY AFRICA

Published Feb 4, 2015

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Cape Town - The city is bracing itself for severe interruptions to the MyCiTi bus service and has urged commuters to make other arrangements as bus drivers go on a wildcat strike today.

Members of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) are up in arms over working conditions and unfair dismissals, among other issues, union official Brightness Matwa said.

“It is unclear how long the strike will last. Contingency plans are in place to limit the effects of the strike and Transport for Cape Town has requested that the other two Vehicle Operator Companies assist with the services on these routes,” the city said yesterday.

Matwa said today’s strike by about 180 drivers was about “organisational rights” as the union was not recognised by MyCiTi operator Transpeninsula Investments. He said the union was denied permission to represent its members.

“We also have a problem of leave. We had options available. The drivers chose not to go for arbitration because they felt it was not going to address this matter and would take too long,” Matwa said. Satawu had been in talks with the company since August, he said.

“We began negotiations with them on August 30 and we were supposed to give them 30 days to respond, but we were lenient and gave them more time. The company also has a high rate of dismissals.”

Ghaalid Behardien, the

Transpeninsula Investments director, said Satawu wanted to be the only recognised union.

“They are demanding that everyone else, even the non-union members, join them. They wanted to have six shop stewards and 20 days of fully paid leave for those shop stewards. We offered them seven days and they refused it. We tried everything to avoid the strike,” he said.

The company had been notified that today’s strike would commence at 2pm.

”Satawu aims to purposely disrupt the MyCiTi service. Their lack of willingness to negotiate in good faith bears testimony to this. We are working hard to resolve this matter under difficult circumstances,” Behardien said.

The city said the affected routes were:

- Airport, Civic Centre, Waterfront.

- Dunoon, Table View, Civic Centre, Waterfront.

- Vredehoek, Gardens, Civic Centre.

- Salt River Rail, Walmer Estate, Civic Centre.

- Oranjezicht, Gardens, Civic Centre.

- Sea Point, Fresnaye, Civic Centre.

- Civic Centre, Camps Bay – anti-clockwise.

- Hangberg, Sea Point, Adderley.

- Civic Centre, Queens Beach.

- Hout Bay, Imizamo Yethu, Sea Point, Adderley.

- Table Mountain.

Meanwhile, the Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha route services have come under fire.

Mitchells Plain commuter Carl Smith said only six MyCiTi buses operated on the Mitchells Plain route and all were overcrowded.

“In the beginning everything was fine. As it progressed, lines got longer and buses fewer – it caused delays,” he said.

In Khayelitsha there were 10 buses. Smith said he had complained numerous times.

Mayco member for transport Brett Herron confirmed that on the N2 Express service, 10 buses operated on the Khayelitsha route and six on the Mitchells Plain route to Cape Town.

“We will be adding additional 18m buses to the N2 Express service within the next three to four months.”

He said buses were deployed in accordance with passenger demand.

ANC provincial transport and public works committee member Cameron Dugmore said: “The opening of the Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha routes was just a DA ploy before the 2014 elections. Commuters are frustrated, while MyCiTi buses often run empty in the City Bowl.”

Cape Times

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