The Sunday Independent reports that two main labour federations will this week be meeting with their affiliates to discuss plans of action in response to looming retrenchments by major companies.  

Big companies reportedly planning to retrench thousands of workers include MultiChoice, Tiso Blackstar, Eskom, PPC and Standard Bank.  Labour experts point out that with the prevailing tough economic conditions, the widespread application of technology and the cost of labour, more companies are having to downsize or cut jobs totally to remain financially feasible.  Cosatu spokesperson Sizwe Pamla indicated:  “We will be convening a Cosatu campaign meeting to discuss what action we are going to take.  Remember we had a strike earlier this year, in February, we tried to get government to sign a moratorium on retrenchments within the private sector.”  He blamed government for setting a bad example for the private sector and also said the Labour Relations Act had to be amended as it allowed employers to replace workers with technology.  Pamla dismissed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s promise of 2 million jobs in the next 10 years during the State of the Nation Address as “unrealistic”, “misguided” and “nothing but hot air”.  SA Federation of Trade Union (Saftu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said Saftu was lobbying its affiliates to endorse a Numsa campaign of resisting the retrenchments.  He said the country was “in the middle of a worsening crisis”.

• Read the full original of Roland Mpofu’s report in the above regard at The Sunday Independent

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