There is no sign that public servants are getting tired as their pay strike enters its third week, Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Monday.
”The strike continues … there is no sign that workers are getting tired; instead they are more angry,” he told a Cosatu conference in Boksburg.
Vavi said the industrial action would only end once a deal beneficial to workers had been struck.
”We want the strike to end as soon as possible. We want it to end in terms that would be more beneficial to workers,” Vavi said. ”The strike continues as long as that has not happened.”
Vavi said he never expected the strike to reach 16 days.
He said he thought the strike would only last for two days before government came up with a resolution.
The country had achieved much in the last 13 years.
”South Africa has a vibrant democracy that opens opportunities for the majority to shape policy at local and national level.
”We recognise the major achievements since 1994 in improving the conditions of our people,”
‘Crisis’
Although there were achievements, poverty and unemployment remained a crisis, Vavi told the conference on Cosatu’s jobs and poverty campaign.
”But for too many of our people, apartheid remains in the form of mass unemployment and poverty plus poor services from the government,” he said.
”South Africa has the highest rate of unemployment compared with other middle-income countries. It is no longer a challenge, it is a crisis.”
The economy had created 500 000 jobs per annum in the past three years.
”It is far too slow — we will not reach our goal of halving unemployment by 2014.”
He said the rate of employment fell short of the people’s expectations and the standard set by the Freedom Charter.
Economic policies favoured the rich with the continued support for capital-intensive industries, growth based on rising consumption by the rich, trade and monetary policy that permitted imports on a huge scale and a focus on promoting black capital in the name of black economic empowerment.
Vavi said civil societies demanded decent work for all, education and health benefits for all, housing and basic services and a social wage.
Earlier, Cosatu president Willie Madisha said South Africa needed to create jobs that would last beyond the 2010 World Cup.
”In some countries that have hosted the World Cup, the jobs that were created collapsed after the Cup. This conference needs to discuss what happens beyond the Cup and what do we do to sustain these jobs.”
He said there was a lack of quality jobs, even in the public sector.
”You are not safe in the private and public sector.”
He said privatisation of public services led to exploitation, low salaries, casual labour and retrenchments.
There were workers who remained poor as their salaries were too low.
”The working poor live on slave wages. What they get at the end of the month cannot keep them through the month. They must keep on borrowing from omashonisa [loan sharks].”
Madisha said the programme of distributing food for school children should also reach high schools.
”Children stop going because there is no food.”
Meanwhile, the South African Council of Churches (SACC) also reiterated its call for a basic income grant.
”Grants are meant for the elderly, children and people with disabilities. It is imperative that we look at the basic income grant. It will make a difference in the lives of poor people,” SACC general secretary Eddie Makue said.
Vavi opened his address by wishing President Thabo Mbeki a happy birthday.
Delegates were first confused which president Vavi was talking about.
”I am not talking about this president,” Vavi said pointing at Madisha.
”I am talking about the president of the country, who turns 65 today.”
Talks
Government and public-service negotiators will meet again on Tuesday to discuss the wage increase.
The parties were set to meet at the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC) in Centurion at about 1pm on Tuesday, PSCBC spokesperson Yolanda le Roux said.
Preceding the talks, Cosatu and independent union leaders would meet on Tuesday morning to try to consolidate their position.
Cosatu affiliates were to meet on Monday to come up with a range of percentage increases they would be prepared to accept to end a three-week old public service strike.
It is understood that the Independent Labour Caucus has already set a percentage range within which it could accept a deal.
The unions were expected to table a joint range for a percentage increase at the meeting on Tuesday.
Over the weekend, union and government negotiators reached agreements on most of the outstanding issues. — Sapa