Coal workers on strike

Operations are continuing as normal at RBCT, despite the strike

Healthy pay hike refused

The strike at RBCT by members of the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) entered its third day on Wednesday after failed wage negotiations. Fewer than 100 of the 517 staff complement downed tools on Monday. Management said they found the strike ‘very surprising and disappointing’ given the 9.6% increase offer - twice the inflation rate -on very high minimum salaries paid at RBCT. Chief Executive, Raymond Chirwa said RBCT had done ‘all we could to ensure that our employees earn a reasonable and even higher living wages than most companies’. He said production was not affected. ‘Our focus at this stage is to ensure that there is minimum impact on our operations. ‘All the required machines, both on the off-loading of trains and loading of ships are fully operational. ‘Our contingency plans are working as planned,’ said Chirwa. He called on SATAWU members to ‘be reasonable’ and ‘to refrain from intimidating employees who are willing to work to keep the plant running’. RBCT called on the Union to ‘talk to management’, saying on Wednesday that ‘our doors are open’.