THE South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) say they are confident, their nationwide strike on Wednesday (25 April), will bring South Africa to a standstill. Saftu and its affiliates are marching against the introduction of the national minimum wage and certain amendments to the labour laws.
Last year government approved the national minimum wage of R20 per hour, or R3 500 a month, to be implemented on May 1, however the federation say the minimum wage will keep workers trapped in ‘poverty and slave wages’.
“We are mobilising the workers in particular against a ferocious declaration of war by the ruling class of white monopoly capitalists, who are trying to get Parliament to pass new laws which will entrench poverty and threaten workers’ constitutional right to withdraw their labour.
Assemble points and marches on the 25th. No turning back#SAFTUSTRIKE #ScrapNewLabourLaws #Defendtherighttostrike @Numsa_Media @fawu_media @RealDEMAWUSA @DETAWUOO1 @SAPSUpower @NupsawHQ @wearesapu pic.twitter.com/wUa7cU4MO3
— SAFTU (@SAFTU_media) April 23, 2018
“South Africa is the most unequal country in the world. We utterly reject the argument that this bill should be supported because R20 an hour is ‘better than nothing’. The scandalous fact that so many employers currently pay employees even less than this poverty wage in no way justifies the government agreeing to a statutory minimum which will still leave workers trapped in poverty, entrench the apartheid wage structure, and widen income inequalities even further,” said Saftu general secretary, Zwelinzima 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.
SAFTU demands that the Department of Labour does not just tinker with the details of the Bill but makes fundamental changes so that the minimum wage becomes a living wage, that it applies across the board with no exemptions and that it will be rigorously enforced.
— SAFTU (@SAFTU_media) April 22, 2018
The Durban march on 25 April begins at 10am. Workers will assemble at Botha’s Park (King Dinuzulu Park) before marching to Durban City Hall, Departments of Labour, Economic Development and the Premier’s and Mayor’s offices.
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