Retirement Reform, Joint Govt Cosatu, Nactu & Fedusa 27-06-08

 

PRESS STATEMENT ON PETROL PRICE INCREASE

The Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (CEPPWAWU) is very disturbed with the news that the pending ± 80c increase includes a 5c a litre levy by the Department of Mineral & Energy (DME) to boost the profits of the Petroleum Companies.

The reasons for the 5c per litre levy are very flimsy and are not justifiable at all. This is done at a time when food prices are rocketing; inflation rate is at 10.9% and the interest rate at 15%, ignoring the calls from the public that the government must do something to deal with the growing proportions of poverty in our country.

CEPPWAWU has just signed a wage settlement agreement of 12% across-the-board with the very same industry on the same day of the announcement by DME.

We call upon the Honourable Minister of Minerals and Energy. Ms. Buyelwa Sonjica, to do the honourable thing and withdraw the 5c per litre levy to boost the profits of the Petroleum Companies who are making huge profits on the back of the rocketing oil prices.

We further call upon Government, DME, Cosatu and Civil Society to call upon these Petroleum Companies to subsidize the future petrol hikes in order to ease the burden from the South African public and the poor in particular.

CEPPWAWU National Congress in August 2008 will take a resolution on the formula used by DME to determine the petrol price every month. We will also call on Cosatu and Civil Society to engage DME on the reviewable of that formula.

We will communicate to the Petroleum Companies through NPIA that they should not accept the 5c per litre levy to boost their profits.

Issued by: Welile Nolingo – General Secretary - CEPPWAWU : 0833755586

Pasco Dyani - National President – CEPPWAWU : 0825515417