SACTWU conference debates worker living wage

05 Mar '13

7 min read

The Conference noted that SACTWU is now the leading MMC NGO provider with close to 60 000 circumcisions performed to date. These circumcisions have been performed over a short period, since inception of this programme in June 2011.

-The Conference expressed its gross disgust with South Africa’s rape epidemic. It resolved to launch a campaign at workplace level where members will pledge to do all in their power to rid South Africa of this evil.

-The Conference was addressed by Ebrahim Patel, Minister of Economic Development, on progress with the implementation of the New Growth Path (NGP). The Conference warmly welcomed the update and the significant implementation progress that has been made with this flagship economic development policy.

-Thembinkosi Mkalipi, the Chief Director: Labour Relations in the Department of Labour addressed the Conference on the labour law amendments currently on the parliamentary roll, and general challenges faced by the labour relations system. The Conference reaffirmed its support for a total ban on labour brokers and its fight against those elements that are hell-bent on destroying bargaining councils, limiting the Minister of Labour’s right to extend bargaining council agreements to non-parties, undermining decent work and legitimising sweatshops.

The Conference was also addressed by Zwelinzima Vavi, COSATU General Secretary, on the challenges facing the working class, the fight for a living wage and the need to improve servicing of members and recruitment of new members. The Conference reaffirmed its support for the COSATU General Secretary, its respect for the true decisions of the COSATU Central Executive Committee, and dismissed the smear campaign being waged to silence his impassioned public defence of the working class, by faceless sources. The Conference expressed its deep concern at the widespread misreporting, based on invisible sources, of the decisions of the recently held COSATU Central Executive Committee (CEC).

The Conference received detailed reports by its research wing on the state of the economy and that of the clothing, textile, footwear and leather industry and the economic bargaining indicators for this year. Conference appreciatively noted the following statement contained in President Zuma’s recent State of the Nation (SONA) address to parliament:

"The clothing, textiles and footwear industry has stabilised after 15 years of steadily falling employment. A clothing support scheme provides broad financial support, saving a number of factories and jobs". Conference noted that this accords with SACTWU’s own independent concrete experience, especially the continued slowdown in the rate of job losses in the industry.

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