The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) in Road Freight and Logistics Sector would like to inform its members as well as the public that the wages negotiations have collapsed between the two parties and as SATAWU we are at the verge to embark on a protected strike following deadlock out of the Centralized Bargaining Process for salaries, benefits and other conditions or employment increases and improvements.
SATAWU would like to notify and warn all the relevant stakeholders within the trucking industry that we will be embarking on protected industrial action following the breakdown/deadlocked of the 2026 salary wage negotiations for 2027, 2028 and 2029 implementations.
The Centralized Bargaining Process commenced from May 2026 until July 2026, which was followed by two dispute meetings under the auspices of Honourable Commissioner as per the prescript of the Council’s Constitution. Despite more than four months of engagements between SATAWU and the employer, as well as the two disputes meetings which were held on the 28th of July 2026 and 11th and 12th of August 2026, no agreement could be reached because the Employer’s Associations remained intransigent, conditional and positional on workers’ demands as consolidated.
The facilitated process on the Picketing Rules must be scheduled on or before the 20th of August 2026 as per the Signed Negotiations Protocol. The Commissioner must issue a Certificate of Non-Resolutions if there is no Settlement Agreement on or before the 20th of August 2026.
The following are our on demands:
- A 3-year wage agreement
- 7.5% for the 1st year, 7% for the 2nd year and 6.5% for the 3rd year ATB
- Allowances to increase as ATB
- CIT-3rd Man Team, Permanent 3rd man team per vehicle
- CIT Medical Insurance – The Service Provider to conduct costs and benefits
- Minimums – Increase as per the agreed ATB
- In – Cap- Camera must be removed
- Chambers Grading and Remunerations – Service Provider recommendations to be implemented
- Owner Driver Incentive Scheme to SLA, Contract and own one vehicle
- Employer must contribute 10% towards the Provident Fund within the Industry
- Warehouse Definition and Clause 35 – Scope of the industry and overtime rate to be calculated daily
The employer is only offering the following:
- A 3-year wage agreement
- 3.75% for the 1st year, 3.50 for the 2nd year and 3.50 for the 3rd year
- Allowances to increase by 50% of the agreed ATB
- CIT 3rd man is an exorbitant and unaffordable
- CIT Medical Insurance must be withdrawn
- No increase in Minimums
- In- Cap- Camera must be removed
- Chambers and Gradings and Remunerations must be withdrawn
- Provident Fund under review
- Warehouse and Definition and Clause 35 – Strategic Review and CIT standing committee
As SATAWU, we view this as an insult and attack on both labour and the workers. We want to underline that we have tried to reason and to meet the employer halfway, unfortunately the employers kept on throwing insults into our demands. Truck drivers are playing a crucial and significant role in our economy, and therefore we are demanding that the employer must pay truck drivers what is due to them or there will be no trucks moving across the country. We are still open to negotiate with employers only if they table a meaningful and reasonable new offer.
We will keep our members informed.
Issued by SATAWU Headquarters