Saftu urges pickets in support of bus strike

As unions and employers in the bus sector meet in an attempt to end the bus strike, trade union –South African Federation of Trade Unions will hold pickets in support of striking bus drivers.

The crippling strike has now entered its 16th day with no agreement in sight.

Workers are demanding a 9.5% increment for the first year and 8.5% for the second year. Employers are offering a 9% increase from this month and 8-percent for the following year.

Saftu has called on its members to picket at all bus depots across the country on Thursday. Saftu spokesperson Patrick Craven says the driver’s demands are reasonable.

“From the start of the bus drivers’ strike Saftu has been fully behind them. We think that there demands are legitimate and necessary and we would have hoped that long before now a settlement would have been reached. It’s clear the employers are being intransitant and so we feel the time has come to do more than talk in solidarity with the strikers but to show this.”