The South African Transport
and Allied Workers' Union
(Satawu) hopes to have
negotiated full medical aid,
an industry funeral scheme
and housing subsidies,
among other benefits, for
truck drivers and logistics
workers by 2019.
“We are currently
negotiating with the
National Bargaining
Council for the Road
Freight and Logistics
Industry (NBCRFLI) to
create policies that not only
improve working conditions
for logistics workers,
including truck drivers, but
provide other salary package
benefits as well,” said Tabudi
Ramakgolo, national road
freight coordinator for
Satawu.
He told FTW that the
proposed benefits were
currently being investigated
by a dedicated team at the
bargaining council and
that they would be tabled
at the next round of wage
negotiations for 2019.
“The negotiations, for a
start, are currently only for
members of the unions,”
said Ramakgolo, pointing
out that Satawu also
represented general workers
such as packers and loaders,
dispatch clerks, gantry crane
operators, loader operators
and security guards.
He highlighted that the
union currently represented
about 16% of heavy duty
truck drivers (19 942 people)
according to NBCRFLI data.
“We are very aware of the
tough working conditions
faced by truck drivers
and negotiate with the
bargaining council on an
ongoing basis to address
these,” Ramakgolo pointed
out, noting that Satawu had,
to date, helped establish 22
wellness clinics on all major
truck routes in all provinces.
He explained that the
clinics were mostly open at
night and were staffed by
registered nurses and peer
counsellors and educators.
“The clinics were initially
launched as HIV/Aids
centres but now provide
other health services as
well.”
Satawu is now pushing
for the establishment of
proper accommodation
at truck stops for drivers.
“We’re also investigating
the introduction of gift
cards or Visa cards for
drivers to use at truck
stops for food and drinks,
instead of relying on cash
from their employers,” said
Ramakgolo.
He added that the union
was also trying to address
the “draconian” Dual
Driver System used by some
employers where there are
two drivers on a journey
but only one is treated as “at
work” and therefore draws
the salary and benefits for
the journey while the other is
seen as merely “on standby”.
