COSATU SERVES NOTICE ON NEDLAC OF POSSIBLE PROTEST ACTION REGARDING THE PRIVATISATION AND PLANNED PRIVATISATION OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES

Monday, 17 August 1998

The Congress of South African Trade Unions(COSATU) has served notice on Nedlac advising the body of possible protest action against the privatisation and proposed privatisation of municipal services, including the provision of water. This notice has been served by the union in terms of s77(1)(b) of the Labour Relations Act, which gives workers the right to embark on protest action to promote and protest their social and economic interests .

According to the notice, COSATU believes that the privatisation of municipal services will negatively affect the socio-economic interests ofworkers because it will make these services less affordable for and less accessible toworkers and the poor. Cosatu has indicated that the intended protest action would includea one day work stoppage in Mpumalanga, and marches, pickets and demonstrations in other provinces.

According to the act, once a registered trade union or trade union federation has served notice on Nedlac stating the reasons for andthe nature of the intended protest action, Nedlac is required to consider this notice witha view to resolving the matter through a process of facilitation.

The notice, which was tabled on Friday 14 August,was discussed by the overall convenors of the Nedlac constituencies today, where it wasagreed that Nedlac would convene a meeting as a matter of urgency between the Minister of Provincial Affairs and Constitutional Development, Mr Mohammed Valli Moosa and Cosatu.Members of the Nedlac Management Committee would also be invited to attend the meeting.

Section 77 (1)(d)of the act states that in the event that the matter is not resolved through facilitation, the union may serve a further notice on Nedlac advising them of the protest action, 14 days before the action takes place.