Vavi, Malema attack Zum

[The_Pumpkin_King]

Thousands of striking state workers held marches in major cities nationwide on Thursday calling on the government to end a strike by about 1.3 million of its unionised employees that has shut schools and cut off medical treatment at hospital.

“The alliance is unable to convene a summit for fear of an implosion as a result of fundamental differences on the question of where power lies,” Cosatu secretary-general Zwelinzima Vavi said in a statement from the group that says it has two million members.

“The alliance is again dysfunctional; the centre cannot hold,” he said in the statement read to reporters.

The comments are some of the strongest indications that organised labour, which helped President Jacob Zuma ascend to the presidency, may be willing to cut a relationship with the ANC forged in their struggle to end apartheid.

The state workers’ strike has had no major impact on rand and bond trading but market players said worries would mount if it extended to September and was joined by other labour groups.

Cosatu said it filed seven-day strike notices on Thursday so all its members could join the state workers in a strike they said would then hit mining and manufacturing, grinding the country to a halt.

Several hundred thousand Cosatu members are already taking part in the state workers’ strike.

The leader of the ANC’s Youth League, Julius Malema, also fired what amounted to a warning shot at Zuma on Wednesday night, questioning his leadership and implying the ruling party’s youth wing will not support Zuma for a re-election bid.

The government has said it cannot afford the state workers’ demand of an 8.6% wage rise, more than double the inflation rate, and R1 000 a month as a housing allowance. It has offered 7% and R700.

The lowest-paid public servants make 40% less than the average worker, who earns R6 383 a month in salary and benefits. Mid-range public servants make about 40% more than average.

Any agreement to end the dispute is likely to swell state spending by about 1% to 2%, forcing the government to find new funds just as it tries to bring down a deficit totalling 6.7% of gross domestic product.

An expanded strike would add to worries about prospects for growth after the economy slowed more than expected in the second quarter of 2010 as mining contracted, while expansion in manufacturing was lower than before.

In Soweto, where police have clashed with strikers trying to block entrance to a hospital, the anger was building at the government for not reaching a deal and at strikers who were denying services to the poor who rely on their help.

“We work for the government and we live in shacks,” said one healthcare worker who only identified himself as Joseph.

http://www.timeslive.co.za/Politics/article623136.ece/Cosatu-threatens-to-cut-ties-with-ANC

Dont mess with Vavi!

supposed to read "..Zuma" /facepalm

 

[davemc]

The lowest-paid public servants make 40% less than the average worker, who earns R6 383 a month in salary and benefits. Mid-range public servants make about 40% more than average

40% of 6383 = 2553.20.
So, the lowest paid public servant gets R3829.80.

After these strikes, that person will be getting:
R3829.80 * 1.086% = R4159.16 + R1000 housing allowance.

I like it.
No more excuses.
I would grant them their wishes and change legislation to allow for instant dismissals for non-performance.

 

[DreamKing]

/Popcorn time

 

[grok]

If they can afford million rand plus vehicles for themselves surely they can find a way to afford this increase. Step 1 - steal a little less.

 

[blunomore]

Thousands of striking state workers held marches in major cities nationwide on Thursday calling on the government to end a strike by about 1.3 million of its unionised employees that has shut schools and cut off medical treatment at hospital.

So .... the striking state workers held marches ... calling on the government to end the strike ?????????????????

YOU are the ones striking .... if you stop striking .... the strike will come to an end.

Duh.

 

[blunomore]

If they can afford million rand plus vehicles for themselves surely they can find a way to afford this increase. Step 1 - steal a little less.

THAT is the actual reason they are striking ! The SWC 2010 came and went and nobody (except FIFA & Co) got rich from it ... and now these workers are upset about 'losing out' and are striking for a decent increase. Also the fact that politicians get rich and the rest of the civil servants are not, is a gripe for them.

I just wish they made THIS clearer as the real reason for the strike!

 

[bsntombela]

"The leader of the ANC’s Youth League, Julius Malema, also fired what amounted to a warning shot at Zuma on Wednesday night, questioning his leadership and implying the ruling party’s youth wing will not support Zuma for a re-election bid. "

How did the reporter come to this conclusion? The least he could have done was to quote the man's words so that we can draw our own conclusions...ag nee man, bad reporting going on here!

 

[ingeon]

"The leader of the ANC’s Youth League, Julius Malema, also fired what amounted to a warning shot at Zuma on Wednesday night, questioning his leadership and implying the ruling party’s youth wing will not support Zuma for a re-election bid. "

How did the reporter come to this conclusion? The least he could have done was to quote the man's words so that we can draw our own conclusions...ag nee man, bad reporting going on here!

Agreed. The information bill is crap, but journalism has gone quite backwards the last few years.

I want to see some more investigative journalism with actual quotes not this "apparently he said something like what what" nonsense. Where`s the guys with sneaky tape recorders catching politicians and corrupt officials dead in their tracks
This Indian guy I know has been trying to get his drivers license legally for years and they always fail him since he refused to bribe them
and he said he went to 5 different places to see if he could get away from the nonsense that follows him.
Anyway, now I`m going of track again...

 

[mak2000]

I really hope this strike sours the relationship between ANC and the trade unions so that come next election the trade unions support another party.

 

[zulgin]

as dit wat nodig is vir die regering om wakker te skrik, dan moet hulle nou maar vir eens en vir altyd leer.

 

[zulgin]

I really hope this strike sours the relationship between ANC and the trade unions so that come next election the trade unions support another party.

I believe they would be more effective an independent society.