COSATU congratulates Popcru on reinstatement of 500 staff 03 - 04 - 06

 

COSATU congratulates POPCRU on reinstatement of 500 staff

The Congress of South African Trade unions congratulates its affiliate, the Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) on the agreement to re-employ 500 prison staff who were dismissed for taking part in allegedly illegal strikes in 2004 and 2005, at prisons around the country.

We also commend the Correctional Services Minister, Ngconde Balfour, for his part in negotiating the reinstatement of these workers. This formed part of an agreement, which, POPCRU hopes, "will lead to the resuscitation of our good relations with the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and go a long way in ensuring that the culture of sound labour relations is cultivated and strengthened".

COSATU endorses these comments and hopes that this agreement will mark the beginning of a long period of good industrial relations. We agree with POPCRU when they say: "We are grateful that both parties eventually came to realise that this conflict-confrontational relationship was neither in the best interest of the department nor in the best interest of the public."

We urge the DCS to abide by the spirit of the agreement and avoid the kind of confrontational tactics which led to the bitter dispute with POPCRU. We also look forward to collaboration to improve the overcrowding and bad conditions which afflict our prisons.