Union dismisses cash-in-transit agreement

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Johannesburg - No agreement was signed in the cash-in-transit sector, the South African Transport & Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) said on Saturday.

“We would like to put it on record that the alleged agreement that has been signed is nothing else but a fraudulent document,” spokesman Vincent Masoga said in a statement.

“(The document) was signed by the employers and some coerced drunkards in a liquor bar without mandate or any rights in accordance to the bargaining council's rules and protocols.”

The Road Freight Employers Association's (RFEA) Magretia Brown-Engelbrecht said in a statement that three cash-in-transit member companies signed an agreement with the Motor Transport Workers Union (MTWU) members on Friday night.

“This agreement was not sanctioned by the RFEA or any of the unions. The MTWU general secretary is also distancing himself from this agreement,” she said in a statement.

“The agreement therefore constitutes a plant-level agreement between the said companies and those union members.”

However, Satawu said that the person who signed the agreement on behalf of the MTWU, did not get a mandate from his union to do so.

“As Satawu we are not prepared to betray our members and we shall continue to take up their plight,” Masoga added.

“No matter how unpopular it looks from the side of those who benefit with profits from the hard and tireless work performed by the drivers.”

Brown-Engelbrecht added that the talks between the RFEA, unions, cash-in-transit sector's three companies and the MTWU continued on Saturday.

“The RFEA is of the opinion that the conduct of these companies undermines the road freight collective bargaining forum and is opposed to such conduct,” she added.

“The effect of this is that whatever settlement agreement is eventually reached will also apply to CIT, since it will be the only agreement that will be enforceable once promulgated...”

The National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry on Saturday distanced itself from the agreement.

“The parties therefore do not recognise this so-called agreement,” spokeswoman Karen Daniels said in a statement.

Earlier on Saturday morning the 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,” 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. - Sapa