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Mail & Guardian reports that the newly established South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) lost its first application for protest action, which it sought at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) in terms of section 77 of the Labour Relations Act.
Saftu’s stayaway action would have coincided with Wednesday’s national day of action planned by opposition parties. The failure to secure a protest action certificate meant that Saftu’s potential affiliates – speculated to be 21 unions representing 700,000 workers – could not take part in the protest at the Union Buildings on a protected basis. The application to Nedlac was heard by business, government and labour representatives on Friday afternoon. It was dismissed because the newly established federation could not demonstrate that government and business representatives had failed to intervene in the concerned areas. Saftu’s convener Zwelinzima Vavi indicated afterwards: “There was a dispute about whether there is a dispute. They refused to declare it.” The federation is due to hold its founding congress at the end of this month.
- Read this report by Govan Whittles in full at M&G
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