SAPSU STATEMENT ON WAGE SETTLEMENT DEAL SIGNED BY PUBLIC SECTOR UNIONS

21 May 2015

The South African Public Sector Union (SAPSU) notes the shame wage settlement deal signed by the public sector unions with the African National Congress (ANC) led government, yesterday 20 May 2015, under the auspices of the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council (PSCBC).

The public sector negotiations started in the midst of the well-orchestrated crisis to liquidate and weaken the progressive trade union movement, particularly COSATU, in order for a particular elite to secure and  enjoy positions of power in the State and elsewhere. They did this consciously aware that a weakened and fragmented COSATU was going to expose their anti-working class and reactionary agenda in government; hence we have a paralysed COSATU that can’t oppose or fight anything that is forced against workers.

Accompanying this sad catastrophe that has befallen our once revered COSATU, are the spontaneous service delivery protests that have made our country count amongst the top three in the world with the highest number of protests; the sheer arrogance gained by the Bosses to retrench massive workers in various sectors of our economy; Eskom’s loadshedding that has been plunging poor communities into darkness and the lack of accountability by those elected into public office, a case in point is the blunt refusal by our sitting State President Jacob Zuma, to adhere to the recommendations of the Public Protector, with regards to the Nkandla renovations.

The struggle for wage increases and better conditions of employment is not only the struggle for organised workers, but is also the struggle for the broader working class in a highly racialised, gendered and class divided South Africa. In a capitalist country like South Africa and elsewhere in the world, the exploited and economically oppressed workers are confronted with the socio-economic burden of subsidizing and feeding a large section of the unemployed that is ravaged by poverty, squalor, starvation and deprivation.

South Africa’s public sector workers have been sold-out by their selfish and greedy trade union bosses that are deeply embedded in the pockets of the politicians and dependent for survival on the political patronage dispensed by the fading ANC-Alliance government. This shallow deal signed with government will retain and entrench inferior conditions that the majority of public workers still find themselves in post our 1994 negotiated political settlement.

These were the initial demands of workers;

- 15% wage increment [but unions accepted 7% and CPIX plus 1% for other two (2) years from government];

- R3000 Housing Allowance [but accepted a lousy R1200 for only those who have bonded houses];

- 28,5% medical aid adjustment for employees on Government Employees Medical Scheme [unions demands initially was to be allowed to join other medical schemes, due to the fact that GEMS is too costly to workers];

SAPSU is disturbed and angry about the unmandated signing of the deal by COSATU aligned public sector unions that are widely known to be sleeping in bed with the neo-liberal government of the ANC. This deal was hastily signed in order to save the failing Zuma administration from public embarrassment and the junk economic status our country continues to receive from neoliberal Rating Agencies. The ANC government continuous to impose failed and disastrous economic policy instruments with zeal and military precision. The destructive majoritarian tactic used by COSATU’s aligned unions to bulldoze independent unions to sign the deal is destructive and undermines mandated demands of workers.

The national share of workers income has been spectacularly declining over the years, whilst the bosses continue to eat a bigger chunk of the wealth, amidst the triple crisis of poverty, unemployment and inequality in our country.

The trend in the private sector on wage settlements has seen double-digits increases. One example are the massive gains that have been scored by fastest growing union in South Africa today, Numsa, mainly in strategic sectors of our booming economy. Numsa scored such gains for its members even though it was consistently being demobilized and publicly attacked by the committee that manages the common affairs of the exploiting class – the ANC government. The deal that has been signed by the public sector unions is a betrayal of our struggle for a better life and dignity for all, as once promised to our people by the fading National Liberation Movement [NLM] led by the ANC; SACP and COSATU.

This wage deal to be implemented by government as blindly signed by the unions will not benefit public sector workers. This deal will only buy public workers inferior shacks; access to the untransformed and ailing health-care system; and gives their offspring a collapsing and failing education system; while politicians and well-earning bureaucrats enjoy the comfort of staying in high-fenced houses in suburbs; quality and luxurious hospitals and expensive private schooling for their kids.

It should be clear to the workers that they have been sold-out by their unions, because the majority of these union leaders are on a waiting queue to land plum positions, accompanied by obscene perks, as we approach the 2016 local government elections. This calls on public workers to be aware that now is the time for workers to build or join new unions that are worker-controlled; democratic; transparent; apolitical and committed to the needs and demands of workers.

SAPSU calls on public sector workers to reject this wage deal signed by the unions. This wage settlement cannot be accepted. The current COSATU unions and government have failed to address the national minimum wage, whilst they are living lavish lifestyle, against the scandalous socio-economic living conditions of workers and the working class.

All these years’ workers have been cajoled to accept wage settlements that are far from denting or breaking away the colonial and Apartheid wage structure we inherited from our heinous and old era. Now is the time for workers, as a class for itself, to break new grounds and fight for the implementation of the key economic demands of the Freedom Charter.

Workers should be cognizant of the fact that COSATU’s unions are no longer worker-controlled; no participatory democracy and absolutely no accountability exists. COSATU unions are no longer the fighting weapons of workers, but are now instruments to shield or protect those in power, who are corrupt and have no credibility in society.

SAPSU has appointed a Team of Experts, to investigate the minimum living wage patterns or disparities amongst public sector workers. This will provide space for SAPSU to force the re-opening of collective bargaining negotiations in 2016. This is a battle we are prepared to wage, and if needs be, we will force workers to embark on a political strike to advance their demands.

Statement issued by Thobile Ntola, SAPSU National Convenor, May 21 2015