Johannesburg - Cosatu's deputy general secretary Solly Phetoe said it is giving the Department of Labour in Witbank, Mpumalanga 14 days to respond to its demands.
Close to 200 workers affiliated to the federation took to the streets today to march for decent jobs in line with Cosatu’s mass action campaign for decent work.
Phetoe sent out a clear message by saying workers will protest until all demands are met from all government departments.
“We are giving them 14 days and we are not joking. What we have seen in all these Cosatu marches on the 7th October every year, government never responds. This time we are saying after 14 days, if it means every week or every month we must go to the streets or go and occupy those government offices, we will do so. We are not joking.”
Cosatu DSG Solly Phetoe speaks about the ANC performance during elections & the Guptas. @IOL @_cosatu @AmyMusgraveous pic.twitter.com/y0YKOYgddk
— Heidi Giokos (@Heidigiokos) October 7, 2016
The coal town which has been grappling with high unemployment saw many workers holding up placards saying “decent jobs”.
Phetoe added that workers not only in Mpumalanga, but across the country have been struggling with decent jobs.
“We are calling on government and President Zuma to intervene and help our workers.”
Phetoe also admitted that more members were expected at the march in Witbank, however workers were “denied the right to come out''.
“There are workers who were refused and denied the right to come out. Other issues were such as transport. But in our view this march was a successful one. The disappointment is that the people we called to receive the memorandum, the employers and other government departments did not come. I don't know what happened. I was told they were informed to come.”
@heidigiokos
Labour Bureau