The United Transport & Allied Trade Union (Untu) says they were compelled to take part in the Transnet strike due to the escalating cost of living.
Untu and the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) have rejected Transnet’s revised wage offer of between 4.25% and 5%.
On Tuesday, police were forced to use stun grenades and teargas to disperse striking workers who had gathered to protest at the Transnet depot in Bloemfontein in the Free State, wounding two of them.
Untu’s Minette Meiring says they will not back down.
“We have to come here because we believe that our people need and deserve a descent wage increase. These are the people that are working to increase this economy and some of them are bread winners. The only bread winners in their family. So we need to show the management that we are here and we are very serious about their people and their future,” adds Meiring.
Satawu vows to shut down all Transnet operations:
