By Tendai Dhliwayo
METROBUS management will apply for a High Court interdict on Thursday to force the 400 striking bus drivers back to work. This comes after a meeting between management and the union representing drivers, failed to resolve the two-week strike.
"We are going for a court interdict so as to resolve the dispute, and we are quite confident the court will rule in our favour. It saddens us as we are trying to open up to drivers but the unions are rejecting everything. They are not playing their part," said Metrobus spokesperson, Ayanda Vilakazi.
If court interdict is in favour of Metrobus, Vilakazi said drivers would get an ultimatum to return to work or face dismissal.
"We are optimistic there will be a resolution, but this depends on Metrobus," said Silas Letsimo, provincial secretary of SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu).
He added that should the court rule in favour of Metrobus, drivers will go for work but this will render production ineffective, as problems would not have been solved. "There should be a sound working relationship and talks about issues than rushing to the court. Both parties should deal with the situation. Courts will not deal with the issue and no one will win. Metrobus should withdraw from the court interdict."
Vilakazi dismissed claims by Samwu that the new roster will result in drivers working a fourteen-hour shift. He said they would continue working an eight-hour shift - four during the morning peak-hour, and another four in the afternoon peak hour.
In between, said Vilakazi, drivers take a long break and they get an allowance for that. "The drivers are taking the break as part of their working hours. They can do whatever they want during the break," he said.
If drivers work more than eight hours, he added, they are paid for overtime.
Letsimo, countered Vilakazi saying the way the shift system has been arranged "does not make sense" as it will result in drivers idling for a long period. He said, the union is proposing a continuous shift system with a short break in between.
Letsimo further charged that management is now dictating to drivers where they should be working regardless of inconveniences. " We have proposed to Metrobus how the shift should work, but they have not come back to us."
As the parties continue to haggle, Vilakazi said it is not clear when strike could end. "It might continue up to next week." He said the legal route the company has embarked on might take a few days before everything is resolved.
"We are optimistic there will be a resolution but this rests on Metrobus officials," concluded Letsimo.
