TPM WORKERS THREATEN TO PARALYSE TRANSPORT

Workers of the recently abolished publicly-owned Maputo bus company, TPM, are threatening to paralyse the bus service this week if there is no agreement reached in negotiations between the new management and the union committee about revised wage scales.On 19 July the government abolished TPM and transferred its assets to the municipal authorities of Maputo and Matola. The government hopes that the municipal authorities will take over the management of the bus company in September. Until then, the Ministry of Transport and Communications will run it through an interim management committee.At the centre of the dispute is a salary increase of 17.5 per cent approved by the government in May. However, the new management committee appointed by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Paolo Zucula, has stated that it will only award an increase of eight per cent.A TPM worker, Francisco Sambo, told the daily newspaper “O Pais” that there had been an understanding between the union committee, which represents the 1,300 workers, and the former management that salaries would be increased by 17.5 per cent from the beginning of July.Paulo Zucula visited the company last week to explain to workers the decision to abolish TPM. However, he did not address the issue of wages.Zucula is due to meet again with the company workers on Monday to discuss the problem.