GALLERY: Free Market Foundation lambasts Cosatu
BRYANSTON – Cosatu members picket against FMF's constitutional court case, that challenges part of the Labour Relations Act, on 7 August.
The Free Market Foundation media brief on 7 August progressed without members of the Congress of South African Trade Union (Cosatu).
Members of Cosatu refused to join the media brief to give their stance on the FMF’s constitutional challenge to Section 32 of the Labour Relations Act (LRA) launched in the High Court in March 2013.
Cosatu affiliates picketed for more than an hour outside the FMF premises, in Bryanston, but press conference continued without them and had insisted that they will picket every Friday.
Cosatu organising secretary Theodora Steele complained that the foundation was challenging the constitutional laws that were fought for. “When unions negotiate, their agreement with employers is taken to the minister of labour to be gazetted. So they argued in court that it is blocking employments,” said Steele.
“All we are saying as Cosatu is that, do not challenge those laws. They’ve been fought for. People died for those rights,” she explained.
She added that if FMF wanted to understand their position, they should use a social dialogue.
Steele indicated that the picketing was just a beginning.
Black Like Me founder Herman Mashaba, who is leading the challenge said Cosatu has helped in highlighting what the court case was all about. “Their picketing and engagement will help to really give South Africans and us (FMF) an opportunity to explain what the court case is all about,” he said.
He said he was disappointed with their refusal to participate in press conference. “It real so unfounded and so unfortunate that our court case is about asking parliament to change the law, that will give the minister of labour an opportunity to review the agreement from the bargaining council,” Mashaba explained
He said the foundation was surprised to be attacked for allegedly wanting to exploit people. “It really unfortunate, totally really misplaced and we don’t really understand where these allegations are coming from,” said Mashaba.
He said the court case was a public matter. “It is not about FMF or Cosatu, it is about the plight of unemployed South Africans and Small Businesses,” he concluded.
Details: Free Market Foundation 011 884 0270; Cosatu 082 563 6955
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