Gautrain bus drivers decline offer

The move by the drivers, who were dismissed after an illegal strike that took place last year, left the Gauteng Legislature disappointed after months of trying to broker a deal between two parties. The deal would have seen 150 of the 182 workers reinstated.

Last Tuesday, the two parties reached an agreement and scheduled the signing ceremony of the collective agreement at the legislature.

Lindiwe Lasindwa, chairperson of the Gauteng Legislature Petitions Standing Committee said: "Today we were meeting because we were going to sign the collective agreement, which Mega Express and the former drivers reached in our last meeting.

"The drivers have indicated to us that they are not going to sign today; unfortunately we could not sign the agreement and it is unfortunate that there is nothing we can do as the legislature."

According to Lasindwa, during Tuesday's meeting, representatives of the fired bus drivers advanced three more demands from their members, which included the reinstatement of all the dismissed drivers; better employment conditions as well as the matter of their lawyer, who is being sued by Mega Express.

"As the legislature, we feel very strongly that the collective agreement that was put before us was reasonable... It was reasonable for the legislature because it was a compromise decision from Mega Express, who at first said they were not prepared to take back any of the fired bus drivers.

"Our role as the legislature was to facilitate. We indicated to both parties that as the legislature, we took this matter not as a petition, because it did not meet the requirements of a petition; however, because we are a responsible institution, we felt that we can play a role for both parties to reach a reasonable solution," she said.

Lasindwa said during the negotiations, Mega Express indicated that they were prepared to take 150 bus drivers back until the end of March 2013.

"Also in that reasonable collective agreement put before us, there is a clause where Mega Express says in the event - even if beyond March2013 - there is a vacant post, the former bus drivers are going to be given the first opportunity to get that job. Therefore to us, that is a better offer given to the bus drivers.

"The matter of the former bus drivers and Mega Express at the legislature is now closed... It means that the drivers will have to utilise other institutions and Mega Express is no longer going to interact with the legislature about this matter.

"We also wish the drivers very well in their future endeavors in terms of them attending to this matter. As the legislature, we are also not going to be part of the matter of the bus drivers' lawyer who is being sued by Mega Express," said Lasindwa.

Earlier this year, more than 300 workers were dismissed by the company following an illegal strike to demand working conditions relating to overtime and a sufficient daily transport allowance.