Cosatu strike 'will go down in the record books'
A strike next week is destined for the Guinness Book of Records‚ the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in Mpumalanga claimed on Thursday. “The strike by the Umbhaba Estate workers will go down…as the longest strike ever held in a democratic South Africa demanding to exercise a right that is enshrined in the constitution of our country‚” the organisation said in statement.“The economy of the province will come to a complete halt” as a result of the protest action‚ Cosatu vowed.The provincial strike on Tuesday is‚ the statement said‚ “in protest against the dismissal of more than 300 farm workers by Umbhaba Estate management and the infringement of the right of workers to join a trade union of their choice”.“It is almost five months since close to 3000 farm workers at Umbhaba Estate in Hectorspruit‚ Mpumalanga Province‚ embarked on a protected strike action on November 4‚ 2015‚ as a result of the refusal by the employers to recognise the Food & Allied Workers Union as the union of choice by the majority of the workforce‚” Cosatu said.“It is totally unacceptable that after more than 21 of the democratic breakthrough in South Africa‚ we still have employers who subject their workers to conditions of abject slavery‚ inhuman working conditions and barbaric treatment to an extent that workers even opted to collectively withdraw their labour and join the millions of the unemployed people.”..
There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.
From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.
For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.
Already subscribed? Sign in below.
Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.