ANC must work with its allies - Cosatu
2013-02-07 15:35
Johannesburg - 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 chairperson Phutas Tseki said.
Tseki was addressing the provincial shop stewards' council
at the University of Johannesburg's Soweto campus.
Education
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.
- SAPA
