This includes transfer of employees even though all the issues affecting workers, such as pension have not been resolved. This, Transnet did behind the back of labour, despite vehement denials of unilateralism as well as media assurances that they were consulting fully with their counterparts in labour about the process of restructuring.
 
SATAWU, UTATU, UASA and SAHRWU, the unions that organize in Transnet were shocked to only learn about this on Saturday (04/03/06) during the pre-mediation meeting where they were briefing the mediator, Charles Nupen about  the respective positions of the restructuring exercise.
 
As a result, labour has refused to continue and seek an urgent interdict to set aside this agreement. Labour is of the opinion that mediation cannot continue while a spectre of the sale agreement hangs in the background and unilateral decision making and implementation continues.
 
In effect it means if the process had not been discovered during last Saturday's meeting and had continued, Metrorail workers would have woken up on Saturday, 1 April (just over two weeks from now) with a new employer and without any assurances of job security guarantee and conditions of service and pension benefits.
 
We need to thrash out all issues regarding protection of worker's rights. We need to establish their job security as well as the protection of all their employment conditions and pensions before any such transfers can be effected.
 
Labour leaders consult with legal experts about serving the interdict on an urgent basis to reverse the sale agreement and transfer of employees.
 
Meanwhile Transnet management is hell-bent on pushing through with their unilateral decisions without proper and meaningful engagement. They have dared the unions by stating that it will go ahead with the sale of non-core assets regardless and have appointed transaction advisors whilst there has been insufficient consultation on the future of these businesses.
 
We shall defend, mobilize and fight for the Trade Union rights to be respected just as we did in 1987 when we felt the right of black trade unions were not being recognized. We will fight against unilateralism with all our might.
 
The national strike action commences on 13th March, 2006. This will be a launching pad for the second round of strikes, commencing in the ports of Durban, Richards Bay and Cape Town. For much longer than three days.
 
We will also declare separate disputes of mutual interest in specific business units and pursue strike actions in those.