The Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF) lashed out at the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) on Tuesday over a decision to hold joint Workers’ Day celebrations with the Gauteng provincial government.
Spokesperson Dale McKinley said in a statement that the joint celebrations planned for Thursday undermined the true meaning of Workers’ Day.
”Like the upcoming Growth and Development Summit this is another attempt to deliver workers and the poor to the ANC government,” he said.
The Forum said by agreeing to the Labour Law amendments, which allow for overtime to increase to 15 hours a week over two months, Cosatu was undermining the traditions of May Day, now International Workers’ Day.
In 1890 hundreds of thousands of workers all over the world took part in a strike on May 1 to demand an eight-hour working day.
The APF said over the years many Cosatu members and other workers had failed to attend Workers’ Day rallies because the true militant meaning of the celebrations had been lost.
The Forum appealed to workers to attend rallies and to reclaim the day’s traditions.
Cosatu said it was disappointed by the Forum’s attack on its decision to hold Workers’ Day celebrations with the African National Congress in Gauteng.
Spokesperson Patrick Craven said Cosatu was in alliance with the ANC and felt there was much to celebrate. He said Cosatu would however voice its concerns with government over unemployment and other problems workers experienced.
Cosatu’s main rally is to be at the Phutaditjaba Stadium, Qwaqwa, where the organisation’s president Willie Madisha will deliver the main address.
Rallies will also be held in other major centres in each province.
In Gauteng the rally will be held at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown. The celebration is to be held in conjunction with the Gauteng provincial government.
The provincial government said in a statement that President Thabo Mbeki would deliver the main address.
”This event, which will take place a few weeks before the Growth and Development Summit, is an opportunity for labour and government to join hands in their resolve to grow the economy, create jobs and fight poverty,” spokesman Thabo Masebe said. – Sapa