Johannesburg - Metrorail workers who embarked on a strike in Cape Town will return to work on Thursday, the United Transport and Allied Trade Union (Utatu) said.
"The services will run as normal in Cape Town tomorrow. We want to assure commuters that they will have a train service," Utatu general secretary Chris de Vos told Sapa. He said both Utatu and SA Transport and Allied Workers Union members would return to work.
"There will be a meeting at 09:00 with all stakeholders to sort out issues," De Vos said. Satawu could not be reached for comment to confirm its members would return to work.
Commuters had been forced to make alternative transport plans on Wednesday as workers went on strike and forced a total shut-down of services. Workers had been protesting against the introduction of changes to their shift roster.
"It was part of the agreement when they received their salary increases. The new roster was due to be introduced on December 4... it does not involve more hours; only different hours," Western Cape Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said.
De Vos however said workers were unhappy with "unilateral changes of service conditions", as it had been agreed that the changes would first be "workshopped" before implementation.
"This (strike) could have been avoided," De Vos said. "The blame for the strike lies with Metrorail's management. Not given any other form of recourse, Metrorail workers had no other option but to strike to prevent the bullying that was disrupting their personal lives."
The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) said its affiliate Satawu was "forced" into striking in response to management's "unilateral" implementation of the drivers' roster. According to Scott, about 600 000 passenger journeys were made on Metrorail in the Cape every day.
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