COSATU statements on yesterdays action 14-06-07

 

COSATU statement on yesterday's action

The Congress of South African Trade Unions salutes the hundreds of thousands who joined yesterday's mass action in solidarity with the striking public service workers, especially the municipal workers and taxi drivers who sacrificed a day's wages to demonstrate their support for their fellow workers. It was a fantastic manifestation of workers' power and solidarity.

The turnout on the 46 marches around the country was magnificent, and it proved that the workers are more determined than ever to stand firm on their demands. Marchers made it absolutely clear that they reject the government's patronising accusation that the unions either do not understand the employer's offer, or have failed to communicate it properly to the membership.

On the contrary the strikers know exactly what is on offer, they have insisted that their unions reject it. This strike is driven from below by a highly knowledgeable membership and any new proposal will have to be acceptable to them.

Another feature of yesterday's marches was that yet again they were all disciplined and peaceful, giving the lie to persistent media reports that the strike is dominated by violence.

COSATU, with all the other public service trade unions, have repeatedly condemned any violence or intimidation by anyone on either side in the current dispute. We have done everything possible to keep the conduct of the dispute peaceful, disciplined and legal, and have ensured that the overwhelming majority of strike-related activities have been free of any violence or intimidation.

We agree with President Mbeki's statement to Parliament strongly condemning "the violence and intimidation which has occurred in the ongoing public sector strike". But we must however respectfully reject his assertion that "insults and violence against fellow workers and damage to property" have become the "stock-in-trade" during protests of this kind.

This gives an entirely false impression that the unions have condoned or even encouraged such conduct. This is totally untrue.

The strikers are peacefully and lawfully exercising their constitutional right to withdraw their labour in pursuit of a claim for better wages and conditions, to picket at their workplace and peacefully try to persuade other workers to join the strike and to march in the streets.

Unfortunately however, the media do not want headlines about the 99% of activities that are peaceful and orderly, but prefer to focus on the 1% of incidents in which violence or intimidation has unfortunately occurred. This bias is reflected in their reporting of the President's speech itself, focussing on the "stock in trade" quote rather than other parts of the speech.

The media has also not balanced their reporting with reference to the provocative violence and intimidation from the employers' side, such as the intimidatory issuing of dismissal notices to striking health workers and the deployment of police firing stun grenades and water cannon at protesters.

It is to the strikers' credit that even in the face of such provocation, they have remained disciplined and they will continue to do so until the government make a serious offer which can lead to a settlement.

Patrick Craven (National Spokesperson)

Congress of South African Trade Unions

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