Nehawu calls off Dube Tradeport strike

A planned strike by the National Education and Allied Workers’ Union over a recognition agreement dispute with Durban’s Dube TradePort scheduled for Thursday has been called off following an agreement between both parties.

Dube TradePort Corporation acting CEO Hamish Erskine said Nehawu has withdrawn its strike notice after both parties reached an amicable settlement. Nehawu had threatened to down tools on Thursday.

"Dube TradePort Corporation and Nehawu reached an amicable settlement following a dispute in the finalisation of the recognition agreement between both parties. As a result‚ Nehawu has withdrawn its strike notice‚" said Erskine.

He said all operations will continue as normal within the Dube TradePort precinct.

"Both parties have committed themselves to maintain open lines of communication in an effort to build a stronger working relationship‚" said Erskine.

Dube TradePort‚ a government project next to King Shaka International Airport‚ is an industrial development zone with airfreight facilities.

In a statement issued on Wednesday‚ Nehawu said it had been trying since April to work with Dube TradePort to conclude a recognition agreement and accused the organisation of "displaying an extraordinary arrogance towards the union".

The trade union wants the recognition of its 105 members among Dube TradePort’s 205 employees.

KwaZulu-Natal Nehawu secretary Mduduzi Chiyi said the union had held a meeting with the Dube TradePort management on Wednesday where they reached an agreement on critical issues around their dispute.

"We agreed on critical issues with the employer and after that meeting we called off the strike‚" he said.

Apart from the recognition dispute‚ Nehawu and Dube TradePort were also deadlocked on an issue relating to management wage grading.