ANC must work with allies, says Cosatu

The ANC should not expect a vote on a "blank cheque" and should work with its alliance partners to address the country's problems, Cosatu in Gauteng said on Thursday.

"The issues we raise every day are not meant to confuse South Africans... with the elections coming up next year, the ANC should know that a vote for the party will not be handed over on a blank cheque," provincial chairman Phutas Tseki said.

Tseki was addressing the provincial shop stewards' council at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto campus.

The trade union federation was against the proposal by the ANC national executive committee (NEC) to declare education an essential service, and implement a youth wage subsidy.

Tseki said the SA Democratic Teachers' Union supported quality education and a good learning environment at schools.

"When government fails to deliver on these basic rights, it turns and blames Sadtu and accuse[s] it of being a stumbling block in education."

Tseki said teachers should continue to have a right to strike to raise their grievances.

He said the youth wage subsidy should instead be channelled into skills development programmes.

"We propose that the incentives, planned to be paid to companies, be invested into skills development for young and older workers alike."

Companies would use the wage subsidy to replace older workers with younger ones, Tseki said.