Workers call for action against poverty

Labour federations have again called on the government to prioritise the development of solutions to the country’s unemployment, inequality, poverty and corruption problems.

In Workers’ Day statements ahead of the international holiday on Tuesday, Cosatu, the Federation of Unions of SA (Fedusa) and the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) reflected on pressures being faced by workers and the millions of unemployed South Africans. Cosatu said there would be no radical transformation if the government failed to intervene to “stem the unfolding deindustrialisation and ongoing job losses”.

“We demand quality economic growth that will be more inclusive. The state must take the lead to transform the legacy of underdevelopment and we want a developmental state to implement a developmental agenda. We need to work on developing an alternative production system that is based on domestic demand and human needs,” Cosatu spokesman Sizwe Pamla said.

Meanwhile, Saftu vowed to use May Day rallies to mobilise workers against proposed labour law changes.

“The South African Federation of Trade Unions is continuing to honour that pledge, as we proved in magnificent fashion last Wednesday, when thousands of workers went on strike and took over the streets of our big cities to reject a poverty minimum wage and attacks on workers’ constitutional right to strike,” it said.

It was widely expected that President Cyril Ramaphosa, who would address workers in Uitenhage on Tuesday, would tackle the issues raised by Saftu on the national minimum wage as well as the ongoing bus strike that has affected thousands of commuters, mainly workers.

Fedusa general secretary Dennis George said organised labour, as partners in the country’s social dialogue institutions, had a responsibility to push for job creation strategies that would lift more than 9-million unemployed South Africans out of poverty.

He said that while the federation would use Workers’ Day for awareness programmes on the national minimum wage it was also important for the labour organisations to drive meaningful interventions.

On Tuesday, Cosatu will be hosting a May Day rally in Uitenhage where Ramaphosa will address workers, while Saftu will hold a similar gathering in Bloemfontein.