COSATU KZN Press Release 27-06-07

 

COSATU KZN PRESS RELEASE OF 26 JUNE 2007

The leadership of COSATU in KZN province met with the COSATU CEC deployees yesterday, 25th June 2007 at SADTU House. The delegation of COSATU KZN consisted of the Provincial Secretaries, Affiliates Secretaries as well as Strike Co-ordinators of the Public Sector unions. The meeting was also attended by other independent unions and as such they were at liberty to join the deliberations. Key to the issues for discussions was the current and status of the negotiations process, the extent or briefing on the strike action as well as the programme planned in order to advance the cause of the demands of workers.

After some serious honest, constructive and robust debates, the following observations were made:

· The employer (State) continues to play its manipulative tactics to pit workers against the public.
· Workers' militancy continues to grow in this province.
· Public sympathy for the strike is overwhelming, against the dastardly propaganda exercised by the state.
· The public continues to suffer from lack of service delivery, whilst those who committed themselves to a people's contract continue to enjoy their private privileges with their families.
· The employer applies some blackmail tactics of linking the offer to dismissals or disciplinary measures.
· The information that unions were to sign as alleged by the Minister was misleading.
· The employer, as part of its propaganda campaign, continues to negotiate with unions through the media.

The meeting therefore resolved the following with regard the mandate of Kwa-Zulu Natal:

1. The Public Sector union should not sign the wage agreement in its current form.
2. The Strike continues but will respect any decision taken contrary at national level as a disciplined component of this federation.
3. All dismissed or threats thereof of dismissal be withdrawn with immediate effect without linking same to the acceptance of the wage demands.
4. Condemn the all acts of violence, especially when perpetuated by state organs.
5. To continue with the strike action plans which include the following:
5.1 Meeting of the Taxi Industry today, 26/06/07.
5.2 Consider a complete shutdown from the 27-30/06/07 subject to the meeting of the Taxi owners.
5.3 Support and join the march by FET Colleges SRCs in Durban tomorrow, 27/06/07.
5.4 Explore transport for a possible picket to the ANC's National Policy Conference, so as to make it relevant to the current dispute.
5.5 Conduct another prayer meeting at the eThekwini Community Church tomorrow, 27/06/07.

CONTACT: ZET LUZIPO - PROVINCIAL SECRETARY

CELL NO.: 072 884 3456