SATAWU Update on the National Cleaning Strike

On Monday 8 August 2011, over 75 000 contract cleaning workers belonging  to SATAWU and seven other unions embarked on a national wage strike in support of their wage demands; this was after the wage talks between the two parties had failed.  The cleaning employers met and submitted a written revised wage offer to the trade unions. In brief, the offer is for an 8% wage increase tightly linked to certain conditions.

As trade unions we rejected their revised offer because it is not a new offer (the very same offer was tabled to and rejected by the unions before), as it does not provide for a decent increase for non-metro area workers (who are the lowest paid in the industry with some earning at R700 per month) and the condition attached were not acceptable to our members.

Subsequently we received a settlement proposal from the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), offering to assist to resolve the dispute.  SATAWU together with the seven other unions met with the Employer's Associations on Monday, 15 August 2011 at 14h00pm to see if we could a full and final settlement as proposed by the CCMA. The outcome of that  meeting was promising even though an agreement was not reached.  The employers requested the unions for time to discuss the CCMA settlement proposal.

We are regrettably not able to divulge details of the process proposal other than to confirm the following:

• the unions view the proposal as a major step forward towards finding a final settlement
• in the meantime the strike will continue;
• the parties will meet again on Friday, 19 August 2011 as requested by the Employer's Associations

In a sector that is dominated by women, it is surprising that women in business and senior cabinet positions both Nationally and Provincially have kept quiet whilst the cleaning industry continues to be one of the most exploitative industry in the Republic of South Africa.  We have noted with anger and disappointment the destructive attitude demonstrated by the employers throughout this wage during Women's month. Their actions amounts to a spit in the face to the heroic 1956 struggles by the women of our country.

SATAWU calls on the employers to settle this dispute in a much more expeditious way and honour the demands for a living wage by these women.

Statement issued by Mamokgethi Reagoikanya Molopyane, SATAWU national spokesperson, August 17 2011

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