Basic rights for those employed by taxi owners

Wages:

Drivers – R1350
Marshals – R1080
Fare collectors and car-washers – R945

Hours of work:

48 hours a week;
10 hours a day if the employee works for 5 days or less up to 48 hours in a week
8 hours a day if the employee works for more than 5 days a week

OvertimeAn employer may not force an employee:

to work overtime unless the employee agrees
to work more than 15 hours overtime a week
to work more than 12 hours including overtime on any day

An employer must:

“¢ pay an employee at least one and a half times the employee’s wage for overtime worked

OR – pay the employee the ordinary wage for the overtime and give the employee 30 minutes paid time off for each hour of overtime worked

OR – give the employee 90 minutes paid time off for each hour of overtime worked.

Annual leave

3 weeks leave on full pay after working for 12 months
if worked for less than 12 months, one day of full pay for every 17 days worked.

Maternity leave

4 months

If you work in the taxi industry and want to find out more about the rights in your agreement and join a Cosatu union, contact transport union, Satawu on011-333 6127031-301 7147021-461 9410041-582 1747051-430 3606

Meeting the driversOn our fact finding assignment regarding the government’s latest legislation to ensure a living wage for those employed by taxi owners, shock greeted us at Metro Mall, one of Jo’burg’s busiest taxi ranks, not far from Numsa’s national headquarters.

As we approached some drivers, one of them quickly rebuked us when we showed them documents that disclosed that taxi owners as from July 1, should be paying their respective employees the following monthly wages each:

Drivers – R1350
Marshals – R1080
Fare collectors and car-washers – R945

It was encouraging to note that many among our own black businessmen who are taxi-owners, already keep their employees happy, because the driver who was apparently dismayed at our revelations of new earnings is already being paid R1500 per week. So the new government-initiative is peanuts to him. He is praying that his boss will not decrease his remuneration!

However, not all of them are paid so much, so they will definitely benefit from the latest developments.

Across the country in Uitenhage taxi ranks some taxi owners go along with this Bill, noting that a human-being is a human-being, and government’s actions must berespected, especially if this is aimed at the upliftment of living standards amongst various sectors within our communities.

But not every taxi owner is happy. There are claims that the taxi business is not stable, sometimes business does not run smoothly, but still at the end of each month a taxi-owner is obliged to abide by the law.

And look at the arrogance of others who claim that this Bill means digging deep into their hard earned profits. For the drivers, marshals and car washers this Bill has brought relief from naked exploitation at the hands of culprits who are hell bent on profit and nothing else.The taxi-marshalAs we came to a marshal, he refused even to shake hands with us because, ” angikhulumi namaphoyisa” (I don’t talk with the police). Wearing red Numsa t-shirts and supporting caps, that reaction sent us roaring with laughter, with our man joining us after he had quickly identified us as shop stewards from the headquarters.

After hearing why we were there, the taxi-marshal’s face was glittering and his eyes nearly popped out. Our man was beaming with joy. This news was the latest to him. He quickly told us how he struggles to make ends meet at home with a mere R270 per week. Undeniably, his pay is below the breadline, in anybody’s language. But no good news for him – he is already earning the minimum!

What worried us most is that not one of those interviewed belonged to any relevant trade union. So who is looking after their interests and benefits as workers?

Will taxi businessmen across the Republic implement this exercise? We will only know from the end of July. If there be violators, then Labour Minister, Membathisi Mdladlana is urged to nail the culprits.

Umthetho omusha uzovikela abashayeli bamatekisi

Kusukela ngomhla ka-1 Julayi, abanikazi bamatekisi kufanele bakhokhele abasebenzi babo amaholo asezingeni eliphansi elimisiwe. Umthetho futhi ubeka namalungelo abasebenzi ngokwamahora abawasebenzayo, imali ekhokhelwa isikhathi sokusebenza esengeziwe, ilivu yokuyobeletha, ilivu yokugula nelivu yonyaka. Bheka ibhokisi ukuze ubone amalungelo ayisisekelo futhi uthole namanye amalungelo avela kunyunyana yeCosatu yabasebenzi bezokuthutha iSatawu. (bheka izinombolo zocingo ebhokisini.)

Nuwe wet sal taxidrywers beskerm

Vanaf 1 Julie moet taxi-eienaars hulle werknemers minimumlone betaal.

Die wet spel ook werkers se regte uit in terme van werksure, betaling vir oortyd, kraamverlof, siekteverlof en jaarlikse verlof. Kyk na die insetsel oor basiese regte, en vind meer uit omtrent regte by Cosatu se vervoervakbond Satawu. (let op telefoonnommers in blok.)

Molao o tla sireletsa bakganni ba ditekesi

Ho tloha ka la 1 Phupu, beng ba ditekesi ba lokela ho lefa basebetsi ba bona bonyane bo behuweng ba moputso

Molao hape o beha le ditokelo bakeng sa basebetsi ka ho ya ka dihora tseo ba di sebeditseng, tefello ya ho sebetsa dihora tse ekeditsweng, llifi ya ho ya beleha, llifi ya ho kula, le llifi ya selemo le selemo. Sheba ka lebokosong ho bona ditokelo tsa motheo le ho tseba haholwanyane ka ditokelo ho tswa yunioneng ya trasporoto ya Cosatu e leng Satawu. ( sheba dinomoro tsa founu ka lebokosong.)