SECOND MEETING TO DISCUSS COSATU WESTERN CAPE NOTICE OF PROTEST ACTION REGARDING VIOLENCE IN THE TRANSPORT INDUSTRY 

A second meeting was held in Cape Town yesterday between the Western Cape region of the Congress of South African Trade Unions and representatives of the Western Cape Provincial Administration, to discuss the notice of possible protest action tabled by Cosatu regarding the violence in the transport industry in that region.

At a meeting held last week, it was agreed that the follow-up meeting would include political office-bearers of the Western Cape Government, including the Premier, Gerald Morkel, and the MECs for Safety and Security and Transport. However, only the MEC for Transport was present at yesterday's meeting. Cosatu agreed to proceed with the meeting despite registering its unhappiness with the provincial government delegation.

At the meeting, the parties agreed to set up a representative Community Transport Forum to try to ensure the issues in the industry are addressed.

The Western Cape Provincial Government is having a departmental workshop today to try and come up with proposals on how to address the crisis in the industry. They will make a statement later today.

Cosatu tabled a number of proposals aimed at ending the violence. Amongst these was a proposal to close of the taxi ranks in Nyanga and Khayalitsha. Buses would also not operate in these areas and trains should be secured to transport the residents to and from town. Cosatu called on the provincial government to ensure the deployment of adequate security personnel to contain the violence.

Cosatu said that transformation issues, such as the Local Transport Regulatory Board appointments, the completion of Local Authority Transport Plans and permit issuing should be fast-tracked to ensure that the conditions for stability are created quickly.

In terms of the Section 77 process, the Nedlac Standing Committee will meet next week in order to receive a report-back from the meeting, and make a decision as to whether the matter has been considered in terms of Section 77(1)(c) of the Labour Relations Act.

Background

The notice was tabled in terms of Section 77 of the Labour Relations Act, which allows registered trade unions or federations of trade unions to undertake protest action to promote and protect the social and economic interests of workers, if they follow certain procedures. Before embarking on protest action, the trade union concerned is required to serve notice on Nedlac stating the reasons for the protest action and the intended nature of the protest action. The Act requires the Nedlac parties to meet with the trade union and the parties at whom the notice is directed, to consider the issues raised. Should the issues remain unresolved after thorough consideration, workers are entitled to participate in protected protest action 14 days after serving a second notice on Nedlac of their intention to proceed with the action.

In the notice served on Nedlac, Cosatu argues that the violence in the transport industry is having a negative impact on workers in respect of:

• The working conditions of bus and taxi drivers
• Members facing disciplinary measures for late coming and absenteeism at the workplace due to the disruption of services
• The ability of workers residing in the affected areas to seek a living and carry out economic activity
• The impact on operators and employers in the industry which could impact on the ability of the industry to preserve and create jobs in the province.