COSATU TABLES TWO NOTICES OF PROTEST ACTION - ON PRIVATISATION
AND ON VARIOUS OTHER SOCIO-ECONOMIC ISSUES
24 July 2002
The Congress of South African Trade Unions, Cosatu, today tabled
two Section 77(1)(b) notices to the National Economic Development
and Labour Council, Nedlac, of possible protest action. The first
relates to the issue of privatisation, whilst the second relates to
a number of other socio-economic issues, including, what Cosatu
describes as:
- The ongoing decline in the number of jobs in the formal
sector
- The ongoing decline in the quality of jobs, especially the
increase in casualisation
- The increasing poverty of workers and the working class in
general
- The rising cost of living, including the increase in food
prices and interest rate hikes
- The lack of adequate social security for workers, their
dependents who are unemployed and the working class in
general.
With regard to the notice on privatisation, Cosatu has indicated
that its notice represents a resumption of the protest action that
was held last year.
In the notice on broader socio-economic issues, Cosatu indicates
that it would direct its protest at the Reserve Bank, Government
and Business.
In terms of the Nedlac procedure on Section 77 notices, the two
notices have been forwarded to Nedlac's standing committee on
Section 77, (consisting of Government, Business, Labour and
Community). The Committee is required to confirm whether the
notices comply with the Act, following which a meeting of the
Committee with Cosatu and representatives of all the relevant
structures at whom the notices are directed will be called within
14 days as per the Nedlac procedure. Cosatu has suggested that the
issues contained in the notice on broader socio-economic issues be
considered together with the issues relating to privatisation.
Background on Section 77 of the LRA
The notice was tabled in terms of Section 77 of the Labour
Relations Act, which allows registered trade unions or federations
of trade unions to undertake protest action to promote and protect
the social and economic interests of workers, if they follow
certain procedures. Before embarking on protest action, the trade
union concerned is required to serve notice on Nedlac stating the
reasons for the protest action and the intended nature of the
protest action. The Act requires the Nedlac parties to meet with
the trade union and the parties at whom the notice is directed, to
consider the issues raised. Should the issues remain unresolved
after thorough consideration, workers are entitled to participate
in protected protest action 14 days after serving a second notice
on Nedlac of their intention to proceed with the action.
Issued by Nedlac
Contact: Jennifer Wilson on 011 328 4211 / 083 652 8524