Sechaba ka’Nkosi
Leaders of the Congress of South African=20 Trade Unions (Cosatu) rejected last-minute=20 compromises by the government to meet some=20 of its demands on the Basic Conditions of=20 Employment Bill and pave the way for=20 possible consensus before the end of this=20 parliamentary session.
Proposals tabled by the African National=20 Congress in an alliance meeting last week=20 suggested that the government meet Cosatu’s=20 main demand on variations, and give labour=20 a statutory guarantee that rights already=20 won through collective agreements would not=20 be compromised. Cosatu was expected to give=20 up its demand on overtime payment.=20
The ANC is understood to have reiterated=20 its support for the government’s preference=20 of a 45-hour working week as stated in the=20 Bill, and that payment for maternity leave=20 would be best resolved by a committee=20 appointed when the Bill is launched in=20 April. The ANC is said to have been=20 satisfied that there were also not that=20 many differences between the two partners=20 on the minimum working age and Sunday work.=20 The point of conflict is variations and=20 overtime pay, and the new proposals aimed=20 to strike a balance, by agreeing to deliver=20 minimum standards to Cosatu, while trying=20 to ensure that organised business does not=20 suffer higher costs as a result.=20
Neither Cosatu, the Ministry of Labour nor=20 the ANC agreed to talk about the proposals=20 in detail. However, Cosatu confirmed that=20 new proposals were tabled at the alliance=20 meeting, and further meetings are taking=20 place to ensure broad consensus is reached=20 on the Bill.=20
Insiders say the latest proposals enjoy the=20 backing of senior government officials,=20 including Deputy President Thabo Mbeki.=20 They say Cosatu’s refusal to accept renewed=20 positions stems mainly from increasing=20 differences between its general secretary=20 Sam Shilowa and Labour Minister Tito=20 Mboweni, and the fact that Cosatu is=20 holding its national congress next month.=20 Says one source: “Cosatu leaders cannot be=20 seen to be compromising before the=20 congress; it might cost them their=20 positions. Perhaps the Bill will only be=20 resolved then or after the congress. But=20 Cosatu will not be able to get a deal=20 better than the one they rejected. The=20 government has gone far enough to=20 accommodate them. The ball is now firmly in=20 their court.”
The first step, according to the source, is=20 for the ANC to get Cosatu’s support for the=20 trade-offs. And if it does buy the idea,=20 the proposal would then have been taken to=20 the National Economic Development and=20 Labour Council (Nedlac). Nedlac’s executive=20 director Jayendra Naidoo says there is=20 still no end in sight on the dispute.=20