Fin24 reports that trade union federation Cosatu and its affiliates are to strike on Thursday in protest against the state of the economy, poor governance, and the falling living standards of workers.
The strike will occur under section 77 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA), in respect of which the federation has received a strike certificate from Nedlac. The strike is therefore protected under the LRA, and no one can be dismissed for participating, but the no work, no pay rule will apply. In a statement on Monday, Cosatu said: "It is a demonstration by workers that government needs to do more to end the levels of load shedding, cable theft, crime and corruption, wasteful expenditure, and austerity crippling the state, suffocating the economy, and further plunging workers into high levels of indebtedness and misery. This is also a signal to the government, the Reserve Bank, and the commercial banks that the working class can no longer afford to bear the burden of rising levels of inflation, electricity tariff hikes, and relentless and reckless increases in the repo rate." Among other things, Cosatu wants the government to: raise the R350 social relief of distress grant to the food poverty line (which is R624); increase the number of participants in the presidential employment stimulus programme; to intervene and rebuild Transnet and Metro Rail; and to provide more resources to the SA Post Office to prevent its liquidation. Cosatu's last day of action just under a year ago was poorly attended by workers.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard compiled by Carol Paton at Fin24
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