Draft Resolutions for 7th National Congress

Draft Socio-economic Resolutions

Political | Organisational | International

Proposals to amend the LRA and the BCEA Centralised bargaining Basic Income Grant Cooperatives National Health

Resolution on HIV / AIDS Education Higher education Nuclear power The proposed ban on plastic bags Restructuring transport

Please note that draft resolutions do not necessarily represent COSATU policy until formally adopted.

20. Proposals to amend the LRA and the BCEA

This Congress,

Noting

1. Attempts by the government to reverse our hard-fought gains through the proposed amendments to the BCEA and the LRA,

2. Widespread retrenchments and the accelerated casualisation of labour.

Believing

1. The vision captured in the Inaugural Central Committee resolutions guides our policy and is more relevant than ever before,

2. The proposed amendments roll back the rights which workers have won through hard struggle over many years and impose greater labour-market flexibility,

3. Our campaign to stem and reverse the tide of job losses has laid a foundation for carrying this battle to a victorious conclusion.

Resolves

1. To reject

1. Amendments that would make it harder to extend bargaining council agreements,

2. The inadequate formulation on Section 189 (retrenchments) and Section 197 (transfer of businesses), of the Labour Relations Act.

3. The weakening of procedural rights at the workplace.

4. Changes to the sections on Workplace Forums that give minority trade unions and non-unionised workers the trigger to set of Workplace Forums.

5. The removal of Sunday overtime pay.

6. Ministerial right to vary core rights.

2. And call for a programme of sustained action including sit-ins and a general strike to register our protest.

3. To call for

1. inclusion of the duty to bargain,

2. amendment of Section 189 of the LRA to ensure that retrenchments are negotiable,

3. the right to strike over dismissals,

4. the right to picket inside and outside company premises during protected strikes,

5. no right to lockout,

6. a severance package of no less than four weeks’ pay per year of service.

4. Systematically to campaign for the extension of the collective bargaining agenda to cover new areas, as provided in the Inaugural Central Committee resolution.

5. To monitor the activities of the CCMA and ensure that measures outlined in our Inaugural Central Committee resolution apply as a matter of extreme urgency.

SACCAWU, SACTWU

21. Centralised bargaining

Noting

1. The Federation’s objective on centralised bargaining

2. The plans by different sectors to decentralise bargaining

3. The CC resolution that this Congress should deliberate on this matter

Believing

Decentralisation would lead to lower labour standards.

Resolves

1. To reject attempts in the government’s proposed amendments to the LRA to weaken centralised bargaining and extension of agreements to non-parties.

2. The Federation must continue to advance its objective on centralised bargaining, and commit to wage a relentless struggle to ensure that bargaining councils are established in all sectors of the economy.

SACCAWU, SACTWU, SADTU

22. Basic Income Grant

This Congress,

Noting

The demand for a basic income grant for all those who are unemployed and live in poverty forms an important unifying point for the struggle of the working class.

Resolves

Workers wages are not sufficient to support the unemployed, and the state and business must contribute through the establishment of a Basic Income Grant.

NEHAWU

23. Cooperatives

This Congress,

Noting

1. The support for cooperative economic enterprises from the September Commission, the Tenth Party Congress of the SACP, and the Draft Reports of the Commissions on Programme of Action (Economic Transformation) of the National General Council of the ANC held in July 2000, as well as in the final Declaration of the Presidential Jobs Summit

2. The success of co-operative structures in South Africa, including in the agricultural sector, union initiatives (NUM and NUMSA), stokvels, burial societies, etc.

3. That no national policy framework presently exists on cooperative to support and create conditions for the development of cooperatives, although government has acknowledged the significance of cooperatives in pursuing the national development agenda.

Believing

1. Co-operatives provide mechanisms through which our people can overcome social and economic problems, especially if a co-operative movement emerges as a distinct social and economic force at the national level,

2. That cooperative strategies and mechanisms hold the potential to:
   

1. Mobilise the savings, skills and energies of a wide strata of working people

2. Provide alternative employment

3. Empower large numbers of workers and poor communities

4. Contribute to social and economic transformation, by shifting emphasis from individual enrichment to community development

5. Develop collective capital

Resolves

1. The Federation must commission further research into cooperative ventures

2. To call for the convening by the Alliance of a Co-operative Movement Forum, which would also include civics, land reform movements, NGOs etc.

3. The Federation must engage with government at all levels to:
   

1. support cooperative initiatives as part of the broader view of black economic empowerment referred to in the economic documents of the National General Council of the ANC held July 2000

2. identify changes in legislation which may be required to facilitate formation of co-operatives

3. identify forms of support and privileging of co-operatives that may be necessary in order to encourage their development including priority tendering and accessing development finance, training and practical assistance.

4. Government policies should set out the objectives, means of support and collaboration as valuable instruments for ensuring that co-operatives are meeting their goals.

5. The Investment Coordinating Council of COSATU together with the SACP should embark on serious initiatives and discussions to advocate jointly for and establish the Cooperative Movement.

NEHAWU, SACCAWU, SADTU

24. National Health

Note: In light of the fundamental disagreement between NEHAWU and CEPPWAWU resolutions, they should advise the Friday meeting on how to present the resolutions.

This Congress,

Noting

1. Wasteful and inefficient private health systems use national resources inefficiently and push up the cost of health care for all South Africans.

2. Private health care reaches only 20% of South Africans but uses almost two thirds of national health resources.

3. Cuts in the budgets of the public health system since 1996.

Resolves

1. COSATU must fight for a National Health Insurance (NHI) programme that would
   

1. cover everyone under a single, comprehensive public insurance programme,

2. pay all hospitals, clinics, nursing homes an annual amount that would cover operating expenses,

3. gradually limit the extent of the private health care and improve the services of the public health system, and

4. go hand in hand with increases in the health budget, in order to maintain a strong public-health system.

2. Private insurance coverage for services included under the NHI would be eliminated, leading to substantial savings for society as a whole.

3. The NHI would permit doctors either to charge fees at NHI rates, or to take salaried positions in clinics or hospitals.

4. Funds for NHI could be raised though a variety of mechanisms, ideally including
   

1. a progressive tax that raises revenues at least equal to the sum currently spent on private health care, and

2. a uniform employer contribution covering all employees.

5. NHI should support not-for-profit health schemes, especially if provided through bargaining councils. (NEHAWU)

OR

Believing

The national social health care scheme will

1. be accessible to all people,

2. strengthen the public health system,

3. establish an interface between the public and private systems, and

4. give people a choice between public and private schemes

5. Government will be able to provide primary healthcare services such as maternity and child services, immunisations, education, screening and curative care for minor problems, etc.

Resolves

1. COSATU supports the implementation of Social Health Insurance without delay, after consultation with all stakeholders

2. Government must investigate use of Social Health Insurance by those who can afford private care as they will have free access to the public system only through indirect tax payment.

3. All contributions to medical schemes to be taxable, but the tax deduction for medical expenses should be increased

4. Medical aids must
   

1. Accept people irrespective of their health status,

2. provide for continued membership for workers who are retired or become unemployed

3. cover all dependents of the principal member

4. delink contributions from age and health status. (CEPPWAWU)

25. Resolution on HIV / AIDS

Noting

The continuing impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic in South Africa, and

The failure of the government to provide a clear lead in combating it,

Believing

1. Congress reaffirms the declaration and resolution on HIV/AIDS passed at the Special Congress in August 1999,

2. The HIV/AIDS pandemic threatens the social and economic fabric of our society and could undermine the gains of our democracy,

3. The poorest and the most vulnerable of our society are most at risk,

4. Providing medication to HIV positive pregnant women is morally and medically right and makes good economic sense in terms of costs saved on treatment of HIV positive children,

5. Providing medication to rape victims is morally and medically right,

6. Government’s conservative economic policy prevents adequate resources being made available for education, prevention and treatment,

7. There is scientific evidence to support the efficacy of anti-retroviral drugs in the control of HIV/AIDS,

Resolves

1. To condemn pharmaceutical companies who put profit above people

2. To call on Government urgently
   

1. to draw up a programme of action to make affordable treatment available to people living with HIV/AIDS, and to increase government spending on treatment,

2. immediately to provide the necessary medication to HIV positive pregnant women and rape victims,

3. to end its scientific speculation in order to concentrate on education, prevention and treatment,

4. to respond to the immediate and long-term needs of AIDS orphans and people living with AIDS, and

5. urgently to address issues of gender inequity as this is feeding the AIDS pandemic.

3. COSATU must lead a campaign to end discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS.

CEPPWAWU, SACTWU, SADTU

26. Education

Noting

1. The constitution specifies the right to a basic education, including basic adult education

2. Conservative economic policy has resulted in falling real budgets for education and failure to redress the apartheid legacy in education

3. The slow establishment and development of school governing bodies

4. Recent statements by the Minister of Education that government was reviewing the provision of books and stationery to learners

5. Declines in Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) facilities despite high levels of illiteracy

6. The growth of the private sector in education, which is even utilised by sections of the leadership of the Alliance

Believing

1. That only the provision of free quality public education can meet the needs of the mass of working class and rural communities and begin to improve life chances and opportunities for working class and poor children

2. The right to life-long learning is essential to redress the inequities of the past, to empower and skill workers and to provide for requirements of the economy

3. That to address the present education crisis will require active participation by all stakeholders in education, particularly parents, learners, teachers, communities and government

Resolves

1. To call on government
   

1. To prioritise education and allocate the resources needed to address apartheid backlogs

2. to increase the provision of learning materials, especially in poor communities

2. To call on the Departments of Education and Labour to develop a national strategy to address adult illiteracy and to make the provision of adult basic education and training a reality

3. COSATU and its affiliates to encourage union members to play an active role in School Governing Bodies and other education stakeholder bodies.

SADTU

27. Higher education

Noting

The report on Higher Education by the Council for Higher Education

Believing

1. Proposals contained in the report are detrimental to workers:

2. The proposed mergers point towards down-sizing, out-sourcing and retrenchments

3. The report does not address the need to greatly increase the access of working and rural communities to higher education

4. The differentiated system proposed could entrench racial and class divisions in the higher educational system

Resolves

1. The Federation must oppose attempts to down-size higher education and to resist attempts to retrench or out-source workers from tertiary institutions

2. The Federation must argue within the Alliance and with government for an education system friendly to those who have been historically excluded on grounds of class, race and gender.

SADTU

28. Nuclear power

Noting

1. The restructuring of ESI is an ideological one perpetuated by capitalist agenda to realise the markets interests rather than address the socio-economic deficiencies in our country.

2. The white paper on Energy Policy 1998 has not excluded nuclear technology as possible supply option for the future.

3. Enormous financial and human resources have been deployed to develop nuclear power technology in the form of PBMR, from both the state and Eskom.

Further noting

1. South Africa has realistically more than 300 years worth of coal deposits in existence thus securing jobs in the collieries and coal fired power stations.

2. Current energy infrastructure supplies can last up to the next 20 years without any significant new capital injection.

3. Current positive strides have been achieved in terms of management of coal emissions through electro static precipitator technology that captures more than 98% of the emissions.

Resolves

1. To re-affirm the OAU stance that Africa should remain a nuclear free zone.

2. The nuclear expansion programme through the PBMR project be stopped with immediate effect.

3. Resources targeted to PBMR are redirected to alternative energy technologies like hydro, biomass, solar, wind etc.

4. The current nuclear waste from Koeberg Power Station be stored in a safe and sufficient protected area and not be sold to other poorer countries in the continent.

5. DME be forced to take overall accountability for unacceptable radiation levels within both the mining and energy sectors.

NUM

29. The proposed ban on plastic bags

Noting

1. The Minister of Environment and Tourism announced a ban on plastic bags without a socio-economic impact analysis

2. Banning of high-density plastic bags will lead to the loss of 3 000 jobs in manufacturing and many more in retail trade, including the informal sector

3. Customers will have to buy re-usable bags at a cost of over R1 per bag, which will hit the poor hardest

Believing

That a campaign to change attitudes on littering would prove more effective

Resolves

1. To call on government to consult with all stakeholders to find an amicable solution, and to extend the timeframe until 2002 to permit adequate consultation

2. To call on the Minister to review its announcement to reduce 80 micron to 25 - 30 micron bags, which is the specification in most countries.

CEPPWAWU

30. Restructuring transport

This Congress,

Noting

1. Transport is vital to the social and economic life of the country.

2. Transnet has already lost many jobs through outsourcing and downsizing, and proposals to restructure Transnet further involve privatisation in various forms, and could cost up to 50 000 jobs.

3. Government has not tabled its proposals on Transnet under the NFA or consulted adequately on its overall policy for railroads and ports, and is unilaterally pursuing a social plan.

4. The restructuring of SAA, with the involvement of a private partner, has led to anti-union actions by management, including the recent unilateral cancellation of 30 collective agreements on working conditions.

5. The lack of a shipping industry in South Africa places the country at a disadvantage by raising trading costs and reducing job creation.

Believing

1. Democratically accountable, publicly owned and controlled bodies must plan and regulate the transport system to ensure it is integrated and efficient.

2. The transport system must contribute to development and equality, and retain and create jobs.

3. Large, long-term investments in infrastructure are required in the transport sector, including in the rail freight and port systems.

Resolves

1. Vigorously to oppose any restructuring of Transnet that is not in line with our vision for transport policy and development in general, or that is unilaterally imposed.

2. To oppose the undermining of stable employment through casualisation and outsourcing at Transnet.

3. To demand that Transnet and the government adhere to the NFA in negotiating any substantial changes in work organisation, ownership or structure at Transnet.

4. To call on government to embark on a thorough and open investigation of all aspects of shipping policy.

5. To support SATAWU’s opposition to the current process of restructuring and downsizing at Transnet, including supporting a national strike of transport workers if necessary.

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