Randall Howard (born 1961) is a former South African trade unionist. (wikipedia)
No matter which way you try and spin it, there's no doubt the strike has been effective.
There will be no mediation unless unilateral decision making is stopped.
More than 50,000 union members would be involved in the (planned strike) action. We are indeed ready to strike.
We are not going to return to the table until they change their attitude. This is a one day national strike, we will assess the situation and decide the way forward.
Should the dispute still not be resolved, the unions will recommend a national strike on March 6.
Everything possible must be done to avoid it (job losses) and it (restructuring) has to be done in that spirit.
The key areas affected are the Durban and Richards Bay ports, where we're expecting close to 100% participation.
At the end of the day there will be job losses no matter what.
We go there with an open mind and objectivity but we do not have much hope that we will find a political solution to the dispute.
The strike has started on a highly successful note. From the response we have received from all the metropolitan areas, it is clear that train services have been severely affected.
