SUPPORT FOR TEACHERS' STRIKE

1 June 1998

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is dismayed by the
intransigence of government to meet the teachers' demands. We are also
disturbed by the pressure that Bishop Ndungana is putting to teachers
asking them to withdraw their planned strike action.

It is wrong for the Bishop to appeal to teachers to go back to work
and not make an appeal to government to find an amicable solution to
the crisis. COSATU and SADTU are available to resolve the dispute
before teachers embark on the strike.  However, if government
continues to be rigid in its approach, COSATU will not have an
alternative but to stand with its members.  

The Department of Education's unilateral declaration of policy (on
rationalisation of education, termination of temporary teachers'
services and further threats of retrenchments of permanent teachers)
seeks to undermine government's own law- the Labour Relations Act.  

The government's attitude of using Collective Bargaining when there is
consensus, and using alternative strategies when there is not, is
unacceptable. Negotiating in bad faith is not going to take this
country anywhere.  SADTU is being demonised because it is taking a
stand against practices of the Education Department which it finds
unacceptable.  It is high time that the government trains its
negotiators to understand the LRA.  We will not accept a situation
where the government does not respect this country's laws.

We are aware of the consequences of SADTU's planned action.  The
decision to go on strike is not an easy one for any worker or trade
union.  If the government was more willing to find solutions to this
crisis, SADTU would not be forced to take this unfortunate position.

COSATU calls on its members and communities to stand behind our
teachers in their fight for job security.

Nowetu Mpati
COSATU Head of Communications

Tel:    + 27 + 11 + 339-4911
Fax:    + 27 + 11 + 339-2281
E-mail: nowetu@cosatu.org.za