Gqeberha – A group of truck drivers from Kalahari AutoForce in Markman, Motherwell, have been on strike since Saturday, demanding higher wages and what they call fairer route schedules.
According to a GroundUp report, the striking drivers, backed by the Tirisano Transport and Services Workers Union (TASWU), want their monthly salaries increased from the current average of about R16,400 to R20,060.
Shop steward Vukile Nene told GroundUp that Eastern Cape-based drivers feel sidelined when it comes to lucrative long-distance trips.
“We only drive locally, while long-distance work is given to drivers from outside the Eastern Cape. Long distances pay better, so we’re losing out,” he said.
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The dispute deepened when the company allegedly tried to get drivers to sign letters transferring them to a new labour broking company. Nene claims this “bogus” company was not even registered, and workers refused to sign.
Union shop steward Thandekile Petros said talks with management last week failed to clarify the situation, leading the union to take the matter to the bargaining council and launch a protected strike.
In a letter to the striking workers on Tuesday, AutoForce management ordered them back on the job by midday, warning that “no work, no pay” would apply and that their actions were damaging the company’s reputation.
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