Table Mountain cableway continued to operate on Wednesday despite strike action by over a 100 workers demanding higher wages.
The only threat to operations could be the weather.
Workers‚ employed by the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company‚ are protesting for a 15% wage hike. Their bosses are only offering a 9% increase.
“The cableway is still operating‚ weather depending. The wind is predicted to be stronger later today and if it gets stronger‚ the cableway will not be able to operate‚” said a company spokesman.
She said‚ however‚ because of the strike they were offering limited services to visitors.
“Normally the cableway opens at 8.30 in the morning and runs until 6pm‚ with the last cable cart coming down at 7pm. However‚ now we have reduced our operating hours. So we will now be running until 4.30 pm‚ with the last cable cart coming down at 5.30 pm‚” she said
Cableway MD Wahida Parker said‚ “After further discussions with the union on Tuesday‚ we presented a new offer of a 10% increase to all staff earning under R10 000 and an 8% increase to all staff earning over R10 000. However‚ the staff have chosen to go ahead with industrial action.
“Despite efforts to prevent the strike‚ Saccawu members were picketing at the bottom of Tafelberg Road this morning. Initially some visitors were turned away at the bottom of Tafelberg Road‚ but the South African Police Services arrived on the scene and helped to resolve matters. Tafelberg Road has since been re-opened to visitors‚ vehicles and buses.”
Worker represantative‚ Jan Kotze‚ said: “There are two types of workers here; salary paid and then [those who are] hourly paid. They literally do the same job but the one who is salary paid‚ gets more in earnings‚” he said.
Kotze said management had told them the discrepancy was a historical problem but workers demanded that “correct it now” instead of correcting it over time. — TMG Digital/The Times
Table Mountain cableway open despite strike
Table Mountain cableway continued to operate on Wednesday despite strike action by over a 100 workers demanding higher wages.
The only threat to operations could be the weather.
Workers‚ employed by the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company‚ are protesting for a 15% wage hike. Their bosses are only offering a 9% increase.
“The cableway is still operating‚ weather depending. The wind is predicted to be stronger later today and if it gets stronger‚ the cableway will not be able to operate‚” said a company spokesman.
She said‚ however‚ because of the strike they were offering limited services to visitors.
“Normally the cableway opens at 8.30 in the morning and runs until 6pm‚ with the last cable cart coming down at 7pm. However‚ now we have reduced our operating hours. So we will now be running until 4.30 pm‚ with the last cable cart coming down at 5.30 pm‚” she said
Cableway MD Wahida Parker said‚ “After further discussions with the union on Tuesday‚ we presented a new offer of a 10% increase to all staff earning under R10 000 and an 8% increase to all staff earning over R10 000. However‚ the staff have chosen to go ahead with industrial action.
“Despite efforts to prevent the strike‚ Saccawu members were picketing at the bottom of Tafelberg Road this morning. Initially some visitors were turned away at the bottom of Tafelberg Road‚ but the South African Police Services arrived on the scene and helped to resolve matters. Tafelberg Road has since been re-opened to visitors‚ vehicles and buses.”
Worker represantative‚ Jan Kotze‚ said: “There are two types of workers here; salary paid and then [those who are] hourly paid. They literally do the same job but the one who is salary paid‚ gets more in earnings‚” he said.
Kotze said management had told them the discrepancy was a historical problem but workers demanded that “correct it now” instead of correcting it over time. — TMG Digital/The Times
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