Saftu plans major strike action in Durban
The Durban march will start at 10am, with people assembling at Botha’s Park, marching to Durban City Hall.
SOUTH African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), its affiliates and its allies in civil society, will embark on a nation-wide strike and vowed to bring the country to a standstill tomorrow, 25 April.
They are marching to take action to end the country’s crisis of unemployment, poverty and inequality in terms of the national minimum wage and certain amendments to the labour laws.
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Last year government approved the national minimum wage of R20 per hour, or R3 500 a month, to be implemented on 1 May, however the Federation said the minimum wage will keep workers trapped in ‘poverty and slave wages’.
"I am a WORKER and I am PROTECTED for the 25th #SAFTUstrike" pic.twitter.com/CS0ZWItdqK
— SAFTU (@SAFTU_media) April 16, 2018
“South Africa is the most unequal country in the world, in which 10 per cent of the population earn more than 50 per cent of the household incomes while 20 per cent earn less than 1.5 per cent. Deloitte accountants have calculated that the average pay of executives in the country’s top 100 companies is now R17.97 million a year, which amounts to R69 000 a day and R8 625 an hour,” said Saftu general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi.
https://twitter.com/fawu_media/status/988429845511262208
He added that the workers most affected are those who are already the most vulnerable, the unemployed, those in atypical forms of casual employment, part-timers and temporary workers who could be blackmailed by employers. He believes this will in turn threaten the jobs of existing employees.
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“We are making a strong appeal to the members of unions affiliated to COSATU, FEDUSA and NACTU to join us on 25 April and 1 May and tell their leaders what they think of their leaders’ class collaboration in Nedlac which led to them agreeing to all these new laws which attack workers’ rights,” added Vavi.
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.
The Durban march will start at 10am, with people assembling at Botha’s Park, marching to Durban City Hall, Departments of Labour, Economic Development and the Premier’s and Mayor’s offices.
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