Cosatu W.Cape notice of press conference 03-07-08

 

COSATU W CAPE NOTICE OF PRESS CONFERENCE

3RD JULY 2008

Cosatu will be having a press conference on Monday 7th July 2008 at 10h30 to announce and introduce the participants in the march on 9th July 2008 around rising prices.

The venue for COSATU Press conference is:

COSATU Board room

Community house

Salt River Road

Salt River

Cape Town

The variety of organisations participating in the campaign includes the religious organisations, the ANC, SACP, COSATU, TAC, FEDUSA, and various community organisations. The day will see communities leaving there townships and taking the free trains that Cosatu will be arranging to transport people to the event. People will use this opportunity to raise there voices against government policies that have impoverished the communities. The strike will be legal in terms of section 77 of the Labour Relations Act and so all workers can leave there work legally to participate in the strike and protest.

We are also making this call in the light of the Provincial government not being able to provide any relief to poor communities in the food summit that was held. Amongst the meagre measures that the Provincial Government supported was giving scrap food that the wealthy shoppers at Woolworths no longer want, to the poor and destitute.

The society has to show government very clearly that we need policies that defend us from the greed that drives big companies to collude around basic food stuff as they rip off the poor. Interest rates are threatening the bonds and jobs of many workers and have to be reduced. The electricity increases have a devastating effect on families and will see many jobs threatened. And petrol prices lead to an increase of all foods and transport which is what most of workers money is spent on.

This press conference represents the first occasion where all the various components of society are speaking out against government policies in a united way, as a prelude to united action that will continue to the point where it leads to a change in government representatives [ministers] if there is not a chance in policy.

For questions please call Tony Ehrenreich at 082 77 33 194