Cosatu backs Telkom and security guard strikes
Telkom workers – on a nationwide strike yesterday – are demanding a wage increase of 7.5% for the lowest-paid workers – who earn about 3,000 rand per month – and 8.5% for other employees.
The guards’ demands include better working conditions and an 11% rise across the board versus the employers’ 4% offer.
Cosatu said the Telkom dispute centred on the demand for a reduction in the wealth gap.
"Top management are earning millions, while the workers struggle to make a decent living," said the federation to which the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) and the Communications Workers Union (CWU) are affiliated.
"From April 1, 2005 to September 30 just over 1.3 billion rand was spent on the salaries of about 2,300 managers, while 1.8 billion rand was spent on the salaries of 23,500 workers," it added.
"The unions are absolutely right to demand an 8.5% increase for workers lower than the supervisory grades and 7.5% for supervisors and specialists. As they say in their memorandum to Telkom: ‘While management continue to reap the benefits of workers’ sweat, the standard of living of workers has continued to drop’."
Telkom unions – CWU and Solidarity – demanding a fair share of company profits, have rejected Telkom’s grossly unequal scheme for distributing shares, noted Cosatu.
While backing the workers, the federation also urged the company to play its part in the accelerated shared growth initiative, arguing that "one job loss is one too many."
Security guards who – according to Cosatu – risk their lives protecting the property and lives of the wealthy, face even more severe problems.
"(They) are amongst the most exploited and underpaid group of workers in South Africa. Cosatu is 100% behind their fight to improve their wages and working conditions," it added.
In addition to the 11% wage hike, the guards – under the leadership of Satawu and other unions – demand a further 4% rise for the lowest paid. Other demands include raising the nightshift allowance from two rand to 3.50 rand, a meal break, right to use a toilet for all and the development and implementation of HIV/Aids policy.
"Cosatu echoes the comment of the unions – that security workers have a role to play in this economy but that security firms have been consistently stubborn and uncompromising and seem bent on keeping security workers grossly underpaid," the federation pointed out.
Security guards in seven provinces including Gauteng, Limpopo and the Western Cape embarked on a two-day industrial action last week while those from the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Cape are participating in a strike both yesterday and today.
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