Johannesburg - Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini and general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi put on a brave face, coming out guns blazing demanding “illegal” labour broking be banned outright, the youth employment tax incentive be scrapped and nationalisation be made a reality.
The occasion was the International Day for Decent Work.
“We have a clear message for everybody: Cosatu is moving together, united under the banner of Cosatu,” Dlamini said.
“Cosatu is here to stay. This federation of Elijah Barayi can never be shaken by any storm that can come in its way. We want for capitalists to understand that… by calling for a total ban on labour brokers.”
Dlamini also had stern words for the government, saying it had miscalculated the strength of the country’s largest trade union federation.
“We have regained our strength over a turbulent period over the past 18 months,” he said. “It is not over yet, but we are moving on. Our unity is not for sale. The challenges are still there, but we are united.”
Dlamini also said Cosatu had been emboldened in its demand for the scrapping of e-tolls by the Gauteng ANC’s latest statements saying it too would oppose the user-pays principle.
“Even though people said we are yielding against a total ban, we say down with e-tolls, down! The slavery brought by the e-tolls is becoming clearer. Even to our detractors. We are (emboldened) by the ANC here in Gauteng,” he said.
“The ANC rejects e-tolls. This evil system must not be implemented in this country.”
Dlamini called the use of labour brokers illegal.
Further, labour brokers provided “scab labour” to firms during strikes, and as such were “strike breakers”, he added.
Cosatu would also demand that the Treasury implement a moratorium on retirement fund reforms, set to be enforced from next March.
“Do not implement the reforms until we have thrashed out certain issues. Cosatu members feel threatened. We say to the Treasury: don’t undermine that call. It cannot be that we are excluded from that discussion,” Dlamini said.
“We are not being irresponsible. Give us the space to engage with you about our money.”
He said workers were resigning from their jobs in droves due to “fear that government will nationalise their money”.
“Government must give a clear message because we are unable to say there is no way government will nationalise your money,” he said.
On the youth employment tax incentive, Cosatu was unequivocal in its opposition, saying that, for example, human resources company Adcorp had made a profit of R42 million through the incentive.
“The current form of the youth wage subsidy conditions are horrible (at Adcorp). Cosatu says withdraw it, because we have observed that government continues to send junior staff to Nedlac (National Economic Development and Labour Council). Come to Nedlac - send your seniors,” Dlamini said.
Vavi, who had an enthusiastic reception when he got to the Gauteng Cosatu shop stewards council, said the tax incentive was not benefiting unemployed young people.
“We told government right at the beginning that this employment tax incentive will not work towards youth employment. Instead, the benefit will be to the bosses. After a year now there is evidence - unemployment stands at 35.6 percent,” he pointed out.
“When it comes to the youth who are meant to benefit from this scheme, 50 percent are unemployed. This is what we call a ticking time-bomb. What do you expect people will do? Crime, nyaope, pickpocketing of other workers, illegal mining,” he said.
The Star