The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) has rejected calls by the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) to join a nationwide strike, which Fedusa has described as self-serving.
Saftu called the national strike action in all major cities in the country against the introduction of the national minimum wage and certain amendments to the labour laws.
“It can never be legitimate to allow highly irresponsible grandstanding to undermine lot of hard work that was put in by organised labour represented by Fedusa, Cosatu and NACTU and the social partners of business and government at Nedlac over a two year period in negotiating a minimum floor of wages in order to lift millions of vulnerable South African workers out of abject poverty,” Fedusa said in a statement.
Fedusa said the planned strike tomorrow would counter efforts that had been made to address challenges such as the high unemployment rate, low economic growth and country’s economy being downgraded junk status or sub-investment grade.
“Fedusa remains fully cognizant that the proposed R20 per hour, translated to R3 500 monthly, is not a living wage, but a minimum wage recommended for 47% of workers currently earning less than R20 per hour. This alone means that half the workers will directly benefit from the NMW that has further been recommended to be subjected to an annual review, to ensure that its value is not eroded over time and that it addresses inequality.
“During the negotiation process – presided over by then deputy president, now president of the republic, Comrade Cyril Ramaphosa, organised labour pushed for a minimum wage of R4 500 on the basis of a living wage research that had been conducted on its behalf by the University of Cape Town but had to compromise down to R3 500 in the context of difficult economic realities faced by our country today and to secure the buy-in of other social partners, especially business.
“Surely the false narratives being populated can in no way be seen as setbacks for workers if the main objective of the NMW serves to address poverty, deal with inequality and address the apartheid legacy of low wages. Contextually then, how can a national minimum wage be viewed as a defeat, whilst raising the wages of 47% of workers to be considered as a betrayal?
“Despite the practical compromises that organized labour had to make during the minimum wage negotiations, we should never lose sight of the fact that more than 4.5 million vulnerable workers currently earning below R3 500 a month, including domestic, farm, retail and personal services workers such as hairdressers will be lifted out of abject poverty by its official implementation.”
Saftu members are expected to take to the streets in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Bloemfontein, Polokwane, Durban and East London, marching to the department of labour on Wednesday morning.
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