PARTY

COSATU remains steadfast in its call for the creation of decent jobs and banning of labour brokers

COSATU in KZN would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm its commitment and support for the Polokwane resolutions of the 2007 ANC congress that resolved in favour of the creation of ‘decent jobs' and the review of the relevance of labour brokers in the South African labour market.

These democratic decisions of our great revolutionary movement were based on the correct and scientifically proven understanding that the living standards of the workers and their dependents cannot be divorced from the circumstances under which workers earn their living i.e. decent working conditions, wages, and benefits.

Equally, the ANC Polokwane congress understood that the system of labour brokering does not add any value to the employer and employee relationship in the workplace except for guaranteeing employers the abundant supply of cheap labour that does not enjoy the benefits accorded to other workers and thus perpetuating the exploitation of our people and the negation of their living standards.

The reason why COSATU is taking this unusual step of reaffirming its support of ANC congress resolutions that it and the alliance have already endorsed previously is because of the sudden about-turn and revisionism we detect in the utterances of some among the leadership of the alliance - the loyal cadres of the revolutionary movement - who are expected to implement and defend these democratic decisions that were taken at the highest level of our gallant revolutionary movement.

As COSATU, we are saying that job creation is not just about numbers and statistics of the so called unemployed who are drawn into the labour market; the primary aim of creating jobs should be the qualitative improvement of people's lives and the eradication of poverty and inequality in our country. Job creation should not be used for mere statistical purposes - as an public relations exercise that is devoid of a qualitative dimension.

We also salute and support the ANCYL in its principled reaffirmation of its endorsement and defence of the ANC Polokwane resolution on the creation of decent jobs, and its support of COSATU on the banning of labour brokers. As COSATU we are also saying that the proposed wage subsidy runs the risk of turning into yet another instrument used to secure young state subsidised cheap labour that will result in the shedding of current full time jobs as employers will opt for the cheap subsidised labour of young people rather than retain unsubsidised adult employees.

COSATU is also of the view that merely regulating labour broking rather than banning it is akin to reforming instead of abolishing this tool of modern day slavery. Our country is faced with a choice of either creating conditions that will allow for the development of a self sufficient population of workers who can provide for themselves and their families, or continuing with the historical apartheid labour practices that exploit and marginalises the working class and thus make it dependent on the state for all its human needs.

To claim that the creation of any job is better than nothing and thus expect workers, and their formations to accept a laissez-faire arrangement for their unimpeded exploitation in the name of job creation, while a small minority of elites reap the benefits that emanate from the profits and services delivered by the same exploited proletariat of our society which is urged to be grateful for being afforded the opportunity to be exploited, is indeed to ask for too much from our people and the workers who are their bread winners: fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers.

We are not prepared to make any concessions and compromises on the call to create decent jobs and the banning of labour brokers, because these two issues are at the core of the rationale for our existence as a trade union movement. If we are forced to choose between submitting to the reformist watering down of the workers demands and fighting for what we believe are genuine and democratic demands of the workers we will chose the latter.

If needs be we are prepared to grab the bull by its horns on these demands because the core business of the trade union movement like COSATU is to fight for the working conditions and living standards of workers, and this is a responsibility that we are quite willing and capable of executing and worth to fight for.

Statement issued by Zet Luzipo, COSATU KZN provincial secretary, January 28 2011

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