The Workers Have Spoken and Others Should Listen!
7 October 2015
The Federation salutes all the COSATU members and supporters, who have heeded the call for a one day National Strike today.
The message sent to both economic and political centres of power was clear and unambiguous.
Both government and monopoly capital need to grasp the gravity of the situation and workers have run out of patience.
Workers came out in their numbers to make it clear that it is not the union leadership that is agitating for the change but it is the workers themselves. They also made it clear that they are not prepared to compromise.
We are encouraged by the show of unity by the federation of John Gomomo. We commit to focusing our energies on fighting for the workers and the working class. Workers have demanded of us that we fearlessly occupy the front ranks in workers and working class struggles. .
This 30 year old fighting Federation of Elijah Bharayi, is delivering on the mandate by the workers. We have seen this in the activities all across the country to mark this international day of action for Decent Work. Our marches, pickets and demonstrations throughout the country were well attended and workers have denounced the fragmented public transport system.
They were unequivocal in their demand for a safe, reliable, affordable, accessible and efficient public transport system. They are tired of the carnage they see on the roads. They do not want to lose their jobs and fight with bosses because; they were delayed by the inefficient public transport system.
They want their trains to run on time. They want roads that can handle the traffic in the big cities. They want rural roads to be fixed and demand more buses. Our economy cannot and will not survive if you, the workers, the real economic drivers are unable to move faster and safer.
We want the system to be affordable to the workers. It is not acceptable that workers spend more than 10% of their income on public transport.
It is unacceptable that for 47% of household transport is either unavailable or too far away.
The majority of workers rely on mini bus taxis as a main form of transport when going to work or for other needs. In contrast 80 % white people rely entirely on their own vehicles or private transport when going to work.
Whilst 80% of whites are able to arrive at work within 30 minutes and on the contrary less than 60% of African workers arrive at work within 30 minutes. A quarter of all black workers taken between 30 minutes and one hour to get to work.
As un-reliable public transport and spatial patterns continue to impact on commuters, so too does the cost of public transport on low cost income households.
This means that our struggle for accessible, reliable, safe and affordable public transport is the struggle which calls on our government to confront and change apartheid spatial patterns.
This is also a struggle to have workers remain with more money in their pockets on a pay day. It is unacceptable that 60% of the households earning R500 and less pay in excess of 20% of their income on transport – this is a fifth of total income.
We demand that more money must remain with the workers for the families and not to have it consumed by public transport.
It is unacceptable that the taxi industry is not subsidised by government and yet is the biggest mode of public transport for workers. Whilst on the other side government take tax payers money which include workers taxes and pay for Gautrain which is mainly used by the elite.
It is unacceptable that trains continue to end in the old apartheid built train stations, even when more communities and residences have been developed since 1994. We need more new trains that can be accessed by communities living in the recently developed residences through RDP housing programme.
We do not want to read about Prasa managers in the papers, but we want to hear about efficient, faster and safe trains. We need to hear how many trains have been bought.
We do not want to hear about e-tolls, but we want to hear about new buses and new roads. We will never allow our roads to be privatised.
Roads are a national asset and are not for sale and not for profit. We will oppose e-tolls wherever they emerge.
We have about 8 million people of working age, who are sitting at home because they cannot find work. We cannot afford to see that number going up. We cannot afford the ongoing retrenchments.
We are bleeding jobs across all the sectors including the mining manufacturing, services, communications, transport, steel industry etc. We are likely to lose 100 000 jobs in the mining sector alone. That is a serious crisis.
Our message is clear to government and big business; put a moratorium on retrenchments and let us talk and find a solution to this crisis.
It is unacceptable that even when government has come out to provide incentives to bolster various industries; employers still continue to retrench millions of workers.
We responded to the 2008 Global economic crisis in 2009 by holding discussions at national level. Let us do the same.
This is a crisis and we need to treat it as such.
We know that if the issue of unemployment is not fixed and the widening inequalities are not addressed, we are playing to the hands of the regime change agenda. We are clear that those who are opposed to our revolution will capitalise and push for regime change.
To monopoly capital, we say it cannot be business as usual. You should stop taking your profits out of the country. That is economic sabotage. We say down with parasitic /comprador bourgeoisie.
We want those profits to be invested back to the economy and for new jobs to be created.
Our health system is very worrying all across the country; we are witnessing the deterioration of health services. This is caused by the continued outsourcing, public-private-partnerships and agencification of some functions within the public health system.
Mangaung was clear; that there should be no outsourcing in the education and health sector. That resolution should be implemented as soon as possible. We demand decent quality health care free at the point of service.
It is now 3 years since the Green Paper on the National Health Insurance was released. National Treasury has taken over the process and it is now holding back the release of the White Paper.
We are getting impatient and cannot wait anymore for the release of the White paper on National Health Insurance. We demand the NHI white paper now.
We demand decent jobs that pay decent salaries.
We say down with the apartheid wage structure and discriminatory grading systems. It’s time for a new wage policy for the country.
Down with poverty wages!
We demand a radical shift in economic policy. No tinkering with the system.
We demand the full implementation of the Freedom Charter.
We demand the implementation of the minimum wage.
We demand a living wage.
We want decent housing
People should get houses close to where they work.
We demand affordable electricity.
We reject any suggestion of the Privatisation of ESKOM.
We have local government elections next year, and anyone who wants the support of the workers to be councillor should adopt a people first approach. We demand a responsive and accountable local government.
We are clear that the working class needs to mobilise and be prepared to fight for its class interest. We know that nothing will be handed over to us.
We are aware that the radical second phase will become a slogan if we are not organised and are not ready to fight. We are ready to defend the revolution; and also to fight for the implementation of the freedom charter.
We will push back against those conservative forces at Treasury.
We reject their voluntary austerity measures. We remind them that they {Treasury} are not a super department.
Government and big business should know that these are not just symbolic protests, but it’s a warning shot. We are putting everyone on notice. We are prepared to wage a lengthy battle on these demands.
We know that demands are won in struggle on the ground, not in board rooms. We are signalling what is to come. We are showing that Cosatu is united and ready to defend the workers and the working class in general.
Amandla !
Organise or starve!
_________
Sizwe Pamla (National Spokesperson)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
110 Jorissen Cnr Simmonds Street
Braamfontein
2017
P.O.Box 1019
Johannesburg
2000
South Africa
Tel: +27 11 339-4911 Direct (010) 219-1339
E-Mail: sizwe@cosatu.org.za
The Federation salutes all the COSATU members and supporters, who have heeded the call for a one day National Strike today.
The message sent to both economic and political centres of power was clear and unambiguous.
Both government and monopoly capital need to grasp the gravity of the situation and workers have run out of patience.
Workers came out in their numbers to make it clear that it is not the union leadership that is agitating for the change but it is the workers themselves. They also made it clear that they are not prepared to compromise.
We are encouraged by the show of unity by the federation of John Gomomo. We commit to focusing our energies on fighting for the workers and the working class. Workers have demanded of us that we fearlessly occupy the front ranks in workers and working class struggles. .
This 30 year old fighting Federation of Elijah Bharayi, is delivering on the mandate by the workers. We have seen this in the activities all across the country to mark this international day of action for Decent Work. Our marches, pickets and demonstrations throughout the country were well attended and workers have denounced the fragmented public transport system.
They were unequivocal in their demand for a safe, reliable, affordable, accessible and efficient public transport system. They are tired of the carnage they see on the roads. They do not want to lose their jobs and fight with bosses because; they were delayed by the inefficient public transport system.
They want their trains to run on time. They want roads that can handle the traffic in the big cities. They want rural roads to be fixed and demand more buses. Our economy cannot and will not survive if you, the workers, the real economic drivers are unable to move faster and safer.
We want the system to be affordable to the workers. It is not acceptable that workers spend more than 10% of their income on public transport.
It is unacceptable that for 47% of household transport is either unavailable or too far away.
The majority of workers rely on mini bus taxis as a main form of transport when going to work or for other needs. In contrast 80 % white people rely entirely on their own vehicles or private transport when going to work.
Whilst 80% of whites are able to arrive at work within 30 minutes and on the contrary less than 60% of African workers arrive at work within 30 minutes. A quarter of all black workers taken between 30 minutes and one hour to get to work.
As un-reliable public transport and spatial patterns continue to impact on commuters, so too does the cost of public transport on low cost income households.
This means that our struggle for accessible, reliable, safe and affordable public transport is the struggle which calls on our government to confront and change apartheid spatial patterns.
This is also a struggle to have workers remain with more money in their pockets on a pay day. It is unacceptable that 60% of the households earning R500 and less pay in excess of 20% of their income on transport – this is a fifth of total income.
We demand that more money must remain with the workers for the families and not to have it consumed by public transport.
It is unacceptable that the taxi industry is not subsidised by government and yet is the biggest mode of public transport for workers. Whilst on the other side government take tax payers money which include workers taxes and pay for Gautrain which is mainly used by the elite.
It is unacceptable that trains continue to end in the old apartheid built train stations, even when more communities and residences have been developed since 1994. We need more new trains that can be accessed by communities living in the recently developed residences through RDP housing programme.
We do not want to read about Prasa managers in the papers, but we want to hear about efficient, faster and safe trains. We need to hear how many trains have been bought.
We do not want to hear about e-tolls, but we want to hear about new buses and new roads. We will never allow our roads to be privatised.
Roads are a national asset and are not for sale and not for profit. We will oppose e-tolls wherever they emerge.
We have about 8 million people of working age, who are sitting at home because they cannot find work. We cannot afford to see that number going up. We cannot afford the ongoing retrenchments.
We are bleeding jobs across all the sectors including the mining manufacturing, services, communications, transport, steel industry etc. We are likely to lose 100 000 jobs in the mining sector alone. That is a serious crisis.
Our message is clear to government and big business; put a moratorium on retrenchments and let us talk and find a solution to this crisis.
It is unacceptable that even when government has come out to provide incentives to bolster various industries; employers still continue to retrench millions of workers.
We responded to the 2008 Global economic crisis in 2009 by holding discussions at national level. Let us do the same.
This is a crisis and we need to treat it as such.
We know that if the issue of unemployment is not fixed and the widening inequalities are not addressed, we are playing to the hands of the regime change agenda. We are clear that those who are opposed to our revolution will capitalise and push for regime change.
To monopoly capital, we say it cannot be business as usual. You should stop taking your profits out of the country. That is economic sabotage. We say down with parasitic /comprador bourgeoisie.
We want those profits to be invested back to the economy and for new jobs to be created.
Our health system is very worrying all across the country; we are witnessing the deterioration of health services. This is caused by the continued outsourcing, public-private-partnerships and agencification of some functions within the public health system.
Mangaung was clear; that there should be no outsourcing in the education and health sector. That resolution should be implemented as soon as possible. We demand decent quality health care free at the point of service.
It is now 3 years since the Green Paper on the National Health Insurance was released. National Treasury has taken over the process and it is now holding back the release of the White Paper.
We are getting impatient and cannot wait anymore for the release of the White paper on National Health Insurance. We demand the NHI white paper now.
We demand decent jobs that pay decent salaries.
We say down with the apartheid wage structure and discriminatory grading systems. It’s time for a new wage policy for the country.
Down with poverty wages!
We demand a radical shift in economic policy. No tinkering with the system.
We demand the full implementation of the Freedom Charter.
We demand the implementation of the minimum wage.
We demand a living wage.
We want decent housing
People should get houses close to where they work.
We demand affordable electricity.
We reject any suggestion of the Privatisation of ESKOM.
We have local government elections next year, and anyone who wants the support of the workers to be councillor should adopt a people first approach. We demand a responsive and accountable local government.
We are clear that the working class needs to mobilise and be prepared to fight for its class interest. We know that nothing will be handed over to us.
We are aware that the radical second phase will become a slogan if we are not organised and are not ready to fight. We are ready to defend the revolution; and also to fight for the implementation of the freedom charter.
We will push back against those conservative forces at Treasury.
We reject their voluntary austerity measures. We remind them that they {Treasury} are not a super department.
Government and big business should know that these are not just symbolic protests, but it’s a warning shot. We are putting everyone on notice. We are prepared to wage a lengthy battle on these demands.
We know that demands are won in struggle on the ground, not in board rooms. We are signalling what is to come. We are showing that Cosatu is united and ready to defend the workers and the working class in general.
Amandla !
Organise or starve!
_________
Sizwe Pamla (National Spokesperson)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
110 Jorissen Cnr Simmonds Street
Braamfontein
2017
P.O.Box 1019
Johannesburg
2000
South Africa
Tel: +27 11 339-4911 Direct (010) 219-1339
E-Mail: sizwe@cosatu.org.za
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