CEPPWAWU
*CEPPWAWU Press statement, 30 June 2011* *CEPPWAWU going on national strike*The Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers Union (CEPPWAWU) representing over 70 000 workers is embarking on strike action in the petroleum, pharmaceutical, industrial chemicals, and fast moving consumer goods; the tissue and allied industries, and plastics industries. The Stratcom of CEPPWAWU met on 23^rd June 2011 and decided unanimously to strike during the week of 4^th July 2011. CEPPWAWU members on Monday, 4^th July 2011 are joining NUMSA in the national strike in the MEIBC sectors.
For the other sectors the Union's national command centre, specifically set up to co-ordinate the strike, is meeting on the 5^th July 2011 to decide on the date of the strike.
The impending strike is a direct result of the deadlock over wages and conditions of employment in three national bargaining councils - the National Bargaining Council for Chemical Industries, National Bargaining Council for the Wood and Paper Sectors and the Metal Engineering Industries Bargaining Councils.
*Our demands for 2011/2012 are:*
1. *Wage increase of 11%-13% across the board*
2. *Minimum Wage of R6000.00 per month*
3. *Scope: to include outside bargaining unit category,
labour brokers and temporary workers.*
4. *Job Security: labour broker workers and temporary
workers are to be made permanent*
5. *Duration of agreements -- one year.*
6. *We have also put on the table some sector specific
and social demands, focusing on housing, transport and
six months paid maternity leave.*
On the one hand, Employers have insulted workers by offering a paltry 4%
and 7% and a minimum wage, the same as last year (2010). These offers
are not only an insult to members but show that employers have no regard
for the livelihood and needs of employees.
We believe that our demands are realistic, achievable and in the interest of the workers. For example, it is assumed that the cost of electricity accounts for only 1.87% of the workers' spending. It is not only the cost of electricity that is highly under-weighted. The health cost is calculated at 1.47% of worker's spending. Other under-weighted items include transport (3.9%); cost of education (schooling) at 2.1% and many others. It is common knowledge that the costs of these basic items -- electricity, transport, education have escalated quite dramatically over the past two years but their impact on the CPI is minimal because of their relative weighting. But the impact on workers and their ability to acquire basic necessities has been disastrous.
The implication of the composition of CPI is that to increase the buying power of workers and ensure a real advancement in living standards, wage increases must far exceed the level of CPI.
We want to condemn the tactics employed by employers during this negotiation period. Some employers implement retrenchments during negotiations, circulate false information and threaten workers. It must be understood that last year workers sacrifices a lot for the country, to ensure that we settle for less as the whole country was gripped with the effects of the global economic crisis but also to ensure that we all participated and celebrated in the historic World cup held in the country. Now employers are using that show of patriotism to undermine workers.
In the meantime our organisers and local leaders are mobilizing in every factory and workplace to ensure that we have a successful and effective strike. All our workers in the affected areas will go on strike. We are also engaging other unions in our sectors to join us.
The impact of any industrial action on the economy and lives of ordinary people will be massive. There will be shortage of drugs in hospitals, shortage of fuel, paper, chemicals etc. As a union we are still open to genuine negotiations. We are ready to break this impasse by negotiations but only if employers change their dirty tactics.
We plead with the people of South Africa to bear with us in this difficult time and understand that it is not us but employers. We do not want to go back to the situation caused by the strike of 2007 when petrol stations ran dry and there was carnage in hospitals due to shortage of critical medications such as ARV's.
*For more information contact: Office of General Secretary, Simon Mofokeng and Clement Chitja, on 079 704 3065 or 011 712-0300.* -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. You can visit the group WEB SITE at http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery options, pages, files and membership. To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. You don't have to put anything in the message part. All you have to do is to send an e-mail to this address (repeat): [email protected] .
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