VRYHEID: Pongola joins mass COSATU march in a fight against unemployment
The march was intended to express their anger and disappointment at the "lack of care, support and protection of fellow front-line workers, who put their lives at risk to save all of us from the scourge of the Covid-19 pandemic".
More than 350 people partook in the Cosatu nationwide march in Pongola last week, demanding the implementation of Resolution 1 of 2018 to adjust public service wages.
Joining Cosatu in Pongola were SADTU members from eDumbe and Vryheid. The march was also attended by members from SAMWU, SACCAWU, DENOSA, SATAWU, NEHAWU, SADTU, YCL, ANC, SACP and members of the community.
The march was intended to express their anger and disappointment at the “lack of care, support and protection of fellow front-line workers, who put their lives at risk to save all of us from the scourge of the Covid-19 pandemic. Sadly, we have lost many of them to this pandemic, because we put profits and the interests of the rich ahead of those of workers and the poor.”
Also read:Â Cosatu to fight exploitation of workers
In their letter of demand, they indicated that they have tabled several Section 77 Notices to NEDLAC to demand, among other things, health and safety as a priority and that all employers in both the private and public sector comply and enforce legislated standards and conditions. Also, they were demanding safe, reliable and properly sanitized public transport systems in compliance with all the requirements of Covid-19 regulations, and health and safety in general.
They said their four major campaign areas were: fighting corruption, fighting retrenchments and unemployment, fighting gender-based violence and the gender pay gap, as well as fighting the attacks on collective bargaining agreements and workers’ rights in general.
The memorandum demanded:
· 100% compliance with the OHS direction and OHS regulations by the employer.
· Provision of sufficient and quality PPE for all front-line workers.
· Properly regulated, safe, affordable and reliable public transport to ensure transformation, creation of decent jobs, protection of commuters and workers in the industry itself, as well as improved efficiency.
· Speedy and effective prosecution of all, including high-profile public and private sector cases of corruption, by law enforcement agencies as a matter of national priority.
Linked to an effective anti-corruption strategy should be the following key elements:
– Deliberate and more focused implementation and resourcing of the National GBV Plan, including support for victims and stiff penalties for offenders, rehabilitation programmes and workplace strategies to combat every form of sexual harassment, and improve gender mainstreaming;
– Ratification of the ILO Convention 190 on the elimination of violence and sexual harassment in the workplace, and a clear plan to enforce its implementation;
– The immediate declaration and enforcement of a national Moratorium on Retrenchments and Job Losses in the public interest as a way to halt the job loss calamity;
· A NEDLAC-led process of amendment of Section 189 to enforce compulsory negotiations on matters of retrenchments and not just consultations, with full disclosure and as a last resort for business or employers;
· The filling of vacant funded posts, particularly in front-line positions and other critical posts.
The march started from opposite Wimpy and made its way into the CBD, where a memorandum was handed to Cllr Sbusiso Mhlongo and Circuit Manager NE Nxumalo.
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