Strike Violence PMB: It is time for COSATU to bring labour relations into the 21st Century
8 July 2014
COSATU's official response opposing the DA's proposed private members bill that would seek to prevent strike related violence shows that the union federation has yet to come to terms with labour relations in the 21st century and demonstrates that it is quickly becoming a fossil in our political landscape.
In many countries in the world, as COSATU is surely aware, there exists modern legislation, allowing courts or statutory bodies certain powers to suspend strikes for periods of time after the strike has become violent, to give arbitration via the courts or other statutory bodies a chance to settle a wage or other dispute. This is done to benefit the worker, employers and the general economy.
It is not unusual for Mr Craven to use hysterical language to describe a proposal which he doesn't like and which would modernise labour relations in South Africa. He did so similarly with the DA's support of the Youth Wage Subsidy. Needless to say, this proposal is now law and creating jobs for our young citizens.
Indeed, what Mr Craven is clearly scared of is that this proposal will become law too. It was in fact taken seriously by all parties in the National Assembly in 2011 when it became the only private members bill to be taken forward by the Committee for Private Members Legislative Proposals and Petitions.