Non-trading Public holidays 26-04-07

 

Non-trading Public Holidays

The 9th Ninth National Congress of the Congress of South African Trade Unions in 2006 noted that since 1994, days to commemorate our struggles and victories, as well as election days, are treated by employers as ordinary holidays on which they continue to trade. Workers may be dismissed or abused if they refuse to work on these days.

Delegates noted that some shift patterns assume that public holidays are part of normal hours of work. For a worker to benefit from the public holidays first they have to complete the hours required per week and they forfeit public holiday pay.

The Congress therefore resolved to campaign for an amendment of the Public Holidays Act to ban trading on election days and on the following public holidays, on which workers will not be forced to work:

a. March 21 (Sharpeville Day)

b. April 27 (Freedom Day)

c. June 16 (Youth Day

d. May Day (Workers' Day)

e. August 9 (Women's Day)

f. December 16 (Heroes' Day).

Further to COSATU's statement on Freedom Day, we call for the government to implement this amendment, so as to make sure that these historic days can be celebrated freely by every South African without fear of any reprisal from their employer.