Metrorail cancelling ALL train services in May?

[swift412]

Metrorail cancelling ALL train services from May 10 until further notice

From http://www.capemetrorail.co.za

PRASA, the Parent Company of Metrorail and Shosholoza Meyl, has learnt that
SATAWU and UTATU are planning a strike that will affect train services. The
strike is planned to start on 10 May and will affect both Transnet and Prasa train
services.

As a result of this mass action PRASA has decided to suspend its train services
during the planned strike. This is done to protect you our commuters and
passengers.

PRASA has decided for your own convenience as our valued customer that:
1. No Monthly Tickets will be sold for the Month of May. Those
commuters/passengers who have already bought Monthly tickets for the
month of May are requested to return these tickets to Metrorail ticket
offices where they will be refunded as we will not run any trains or arrange
any alternative transport.

Source: http://www.capemetrorail.co.za/Comm...on Planned Strike by SATAWU AND UTATU (2).pdf

 

[davemc]

Hmmm, so who runs the country again?

 

[MickZA]

I comprehend this statement to mean that, if there is a strike, Metrorail will not run rail or alternative services (buses etc) for the duration of the strike NOT Metrorail cancelling ALL train services in May. If you bought a monthly ticket they will give you a refund.

 

[JungleBoy]

It's better than to have these morons torch the trains whilst they are striking

 

[Morph69]

well at least if they torch the damn trains, then there will still be a couple running away from them torches!!!

 

[JHatman]

Reminds me of when Royal Mail workers striked a few years ago. I think it was almost an entire month the mail system came to a dead stop. Crazy stuff.

 

[swift412]

Not just Metrorail it seems:
Fin24 - Mother of strikes to hit SA

Johannesburg - South Africa's transport system is expected to be brought to a standstill from May 10 as 50 000 Transnet workers plan to strike over a wage dispute.

(...)

"It will affect everything," said Satawu general secretary Zenzo Mahlangu. "Freight, pipelines, ships - the delivery of goods incoming and outgoing from our ports and the coal lines coming in and out."

He said if the strike was prolonged, it might lead to a "serious" fuel problem in the country.

 

[DreamKing]

very positive move.....

I think every employer should do the same, if the employer knew any labour union planed to strike, the employer should "lock out" and with no payment. Let see that who will get hurt?

 

[Lightscribe]

Johan1
Apr 30 2010 20:15
AB, it actually takes much longer than that to recover the salary you lose because of a strike, because you can't take the R5000 as what they lose per month and the R750 as what they get more per month as a result of the strike. They got offered 8%, so if they take that immediately instead of striking, they'll get R5400 per month, so that's what they lose per month if they strike. If they get 15% instead of 8% as a result of the strike, that's actually only R350 more than the R5400. If they therefore strike for a month, they lose R5400 and take 15 months to make up for it with the extra R350 per month they'll be getting. (In actual fact, the real calculation should include discount rates and a few more things, but this is close enough.) Even a 1 day strike loses them R250 (assuming 20 workdays in a month), and takes almost a month to make up for if they get 15%. This is IF they get the 15% they are asking for. In all likelihood, they'll get something like 10% in the end. In that case, they'll take FOUR AND A HALF YEARS to make up for what they lose by striking for one month.

Frans
Apr 30 2010 17:10
My company utilises Transnet services for exports of grains. As as 1st April, they have raised rail rates by 15% and port fee's by 50%, as they are looking to make a profit, so now we dump them for pvt sector road haulage and export terminals, at cheaper rates with obvious better service. Do they care, NO, all they will do after making another huge loss, is put up their rates again next year so that their projections show a profit, instead of looking at why there is a downturn in trade. The whole decline of Transnet is because of the management who don't have a clue, and unfortunately this runs down to the lowest paid worker. Sad thing in the Agricultural field is that all of these extra costs will end up with the farmer, thus putting him out of business, and we end up like the rest of Africa, relying on food imports eating up forex reserves and further unemployment & crime.

:wtf:

Moved to Canada
Apr 30 2010 16:44
This is very clearly precisely why I've moved to Canada. This mass communist mentality of "deserve" instead of earn still leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. And don't hold your breath on them not getting paid for the time that they are on strike. It has become common practice in SA to back pay the fools for sitting on their butts making the rest of the country suffer once an agreement is reached. There was a Toronto garbage strike last year for about 2 to 3 months and those guys didn't get one cent for the time that they were not working. Now that's the way it should be. Finally, on the point of the demand for a 15% increase and the various statistics listed by Leon in the comments, I still track the SA consumer inflation numbers, and they are currently sitting at 5.1%. Let's really put a 15% pay hike for all into perspective please.

http://www.fin24.com/Companies/Mother-of-strikes-to-hit-SA-20100430

 

[Gawain]

Yet they complain about raising food prices etc. And then want to strike to bring prices down. Nee man is hulle regtig so dom?

 

[Alestorm]

Ai, hope they sort this out before May 10. Of course it's okay for Metrorail too, they get everyone buying more expensive weeklies instead. At least I didn't buy my monthly yesterday.

 

[Gawain]

Trains not running, busses getting shot up, taxi's have their own agenda WTF is going on?

Nine people were injured when gunmen opened fire on two Rea Vaya buses in Soweto, police says.


http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article428664.ece/Thugs-shoot-at-buses--wound-nine

 

[Alestorm]

Trains not running, busses getting shot up, taxi's have their own agenda WTF is going on?

Well this is a strike, it happens unfortunately. And far too much in SA. I'm not sure what I'll do for the duration of the strike, suppose I'll take the new Golden Arrow buses, air conditioning ftw.

 

[Gawain]

Well keep your head down incase some ahole decides to use it as target practice