The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) is playing with fire by joking around with the basic principles of collective bargaining and disrespecting its partners in organised labour and at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA)

The United National Transport Union (UNTU) was shocked and dismayed at the reluctance of PRASA’s management to attend a conciliation on time at the CCMA scheduled a month ago for today.

Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU who attended the conciliation, says it was clear that PRASA has no respect for the processes of the CCMA nor its workers inclusive of their labour representatives.

“The management of PRASA did not even have the decency to phone the CCMA or the Senior Commissioner who was tasked to hear the conciliation to inform them that they would be arriving 31 minutes late.  Upon arrival, the PRASA management team also did not apologise to their labour partners for their rudeness in having kept them and the Senior Commissioner waiting in vain,” says Harris.

He is disappointed with the level of management representatives which eventually did show up only to learn that the Senior Commissioner had already issued a certificate of non- resolution due to their lateness.

“PRASA is most likely the state-owned enterprise that faces the biggest challenges currently regarding its inability to deliver passenger rail services on time, its inability to ensure the safety of its commuters who are depended on the passenger railway service to get to work and its inability to secure a safe working environment for its employees. It is mind-boggling that the PRASA management think they have the luxury of defining organised labour,” says Harris,

UNTU once again appeal to Transport Minister Dipuo Peters and Popo Molefe, Chairman of the PRASA Board, to intervene in resolving the relationship between the management and organised labour as this can lead to a major strike in the passenger railway service which will have a devastating impact on the frail South African economy and on commuters.

Harris says UNTU remains committed to meet with the Minister and the Board to find solutions on the current impasses. UNTU will continue with the CCMA route by referring the matter to arbitration.

Issued by UNTU