Postponement of 5 October strike action
The Congress of South African Trade Unions and the National Council of Trade Unions have reluctantly agreed to postpone the national strike action against labour brokering planned for Wednesday 5 October 2011.
This follows a meeting last week of the Nedlac Sector Convenors which took a majority decision that the Notice submitted by COSATU under Section 77 1 (d) of the Labour Relations Act does not comply with the law. Both business and government took the view that the Nedlac parties are still considering the issue of labour brokering and that a deadlock has not been reached.
COSATU and NACTU strongly disagree with this view but are concerned about a report from SACCAWU that employers in the retail sector are already issuing letters to workers advising them that the strike is not protected. Although our lawyers are confident that they could thwart any attempt to interdict the strike action, there is a risk that a court could use the Nedlac Convenors' majority decision to rule in favour of the employers.
The two federations have therefore agreed to postpone the strike action and to seek an urgent meeting at Nedlac to resolve the matter as speedily as possible. We shall continue on Wednesday with lunch-time pickets and marches and link our fight against labour brokers to the International Day for Decent Work on 7 October. (See separate list).
We remain utterly opposed to the practice of labour brokering, a form of human trafficking which has condemned thousands of workers to insecure jobs with poverty pay, no benefits and no job security. The campaign for decent work goes on, and we shall not rest until labour brokering has been banned.
COSATU's other big campaigns will also be continuing, including the National Education Campaign to Adopt Schools, the fight against corruption, opposition to electronic tolling and support for the national health insurance scheme.
We apologise to those thousands of workers who were mobilised for strike action, and thank them for their willingness to sacrifice a day's pay on an issue of fundamental principle. We pledge that we will continue with the campaign until our demands are met.
Please find below the details of the COSATU planned actions on 05th October. The National Strike has been postponed. However, COSATU provinces will be embarking on a series of actions which are linked to the International Day for Decent Work (07 October 2011)
Western Cape
05th October lunch time protest in all industrial areas as follows:
1. Montague Gardens
2. Paarden Island
3. Cape Town City Center
More activities planned beyond the 5 October
Contact Tony Ehrenreich for more details
Eastern Cape
Will participate in the workplace lunch time demonstrations
Planning more activities beyond the 5 October
Contact Mandla Rayi for more details
Free State
Will participate in the workplace lunch time demonstrations
A mass picket will be held in Welkom on the 5 October 2011
Planning more activities beyond the 5 October 2011
Contact Sam Mashinini
Northern Cape
Will participate in the lunch hour workplace demonstrations on the 5 October 2011
Will have pickets in all locals on Friday the 7 October 2011
Will have a mass march against corruption on the 24 November in Kimberly
Planning more activities beyond 05 October 2011
Contact Anele Gxoyiya
North West
Will participate in the lunch hour demonstrations in addition to that will have mass marches on the 5 October at the following venues:
1. Mahikeng - Ngaka Modiri Molema Stadium to the department of Labour
2. Kenneth Kaunda - march proceeding from Klerksdorp medical center to the department of labour
3. Dr Ruth Momoathi - march proceeding from Huhudi to the department of labour
4. Rustenburg - march proceeding from the taxi rank to the department of labour
Will have a mass march against corruption led by the COSATU General Secretary on the 13 October in Mafikeng
Gauteng
Will have mass workplace meetings on the 5 October 2011
Will convene a provincial shop steward council meeting on the 20 to mobilize for the launch of the basic education campaign to adopt schools and wipe out dysfunctional schools on the 23 October in Soweto
Planning more activities beyond the 5 October
Contact Dumisani Dakile
Limpopo
Will participate in the workplace lunch demonstrations on the 5 October
On the 27 October marching to the department of labour on labour brokering
On the 28 October marching in Polokwane on corruption
Planning more activities beyond the 5 October
Contact Dan Sibabi
Mpumalanga
Will have pickets mass pickets in the malls on the 5 October in the following venues
1. High Veld Mall
2. Secunda Mall
3 Riverside Mall in Nelspruit
Calling a COSATU locals provincial summit on the 7 October at Witbank and will picket at Pick an Pay in opposition to the planned retrenchments that are linked to Walmart
Planning more rolling mass actions beyond the 5 October
Contact Fidel Mlombo
KwaZulu Natal
Will participate in the lunch hour workplace demonstrations on the 5 October
On the 8 October 2011 will have a Somalia Day
On the 11 October will meet civil society to prepare for COP17
On the 25&26 October will have a workshop to prepare for the COP17 and develop a Programme for mobilisation
Will have provincial shop steward council on the 06 November to prepare for COP 17
Will have COSATU 26 Anniversary celebrations
Will have a march on 3rd December 2011
More activities planned beyond 5 October
Contact Zet Luzipho
Statement issued by COSATU, October 3 2011
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