SATAWU condemns Ackerman

The South African Transport & Allied Workers Unions (SATAWU) notes the arrogant utterances of BEECA chairperson, Trevor Ackerman. To say the strike does not benefit anyone is a clear indication of BEECA's total disregard for the workers' rights to strike (see New Age report). This blind and blunt comments is clearly a premature posture to domineer. Unfortunately it assists in leading the exploitative cleaning industry into a head on collision with labour.

As far as SATAWU is concerned the employers in the cleaning industry behaves in the manner they do because they are abusing the absence of a proper policy framework in the industry. Indeed the time has come for the development of policy framework on standard minimum wage, within which BEECA & NCCA can be contained. We also urge Minister Oliphant to urgently initiate a broad stakeholder consultative engagement which will herald the development of wage policy framework that will reasonably impose basic minimum salary sensibility to the captains of the cleaning industry.

The industry's record is appalling, continued use of labour brokers, terrible working conditions and given slave wages. This will also help to raise their total disregard for workers & women's rights and expose the continuing exploitation of some of the most vulnerable workers in the economy. This arrogant behaviour on the part of the employers is only reminiscent of apartheid-era management style and as SATAWU we take exception to the flaunting of the hard-won progressive labour legislation the country has.

We commends our members who despite the intransigence and arrogance of employers have held steadfast onto their strike. This is an indication of their determination to end apartheid legacy of paying workers slave wages. The fight for a decent living wage continues.

Statement issued by Reagoikanya Mamokgethi Molopyane, SATAWU National Spokesperson, August 10 2011

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