9th+Congress,+Socio-Economic,+1+of+11,+Jobs+and+poverty+campaign

Draft Adopted Resolutions of the 9th COSATU National Congress

 * (For advance study purposes only. Wait for the printed edition, or refer to the official [|COSATU web site]for the authoritative version)**

Socio-Economic Resolutions, 1 of 11
=3.1 Jobs and poverty campaign:=


 * Noting:**

1. The continued relevance of the resolutions of the 2003 COSATU Congress on the Proudly SA campaign, Restructuring and Job losses and the Declaration on the Strength of the Rand.

2. More than ten years into the democratic dispensation, our society is still ravaged by extremely high levels of unemployment; poverty arising from unemployment and low pay for workers; extremely high levels of inequality; and high school drop out rates due to poor budgets and unaffordable school fees.

3. Globalisation has led to the restructuring of the working class through mass retrenchments and layoffs and the expansion of casual, temporary, outsourced and other atypical work.

4. The medium term vision of the Federation the 2015 plan places the defence and creation of quality jobs firmly on the Federation’s agenda, in line with the commitments of the Freedom Charter and the RDP to ensuring work for all.


 * Resolve:**

1. Before embarking on another campaign a detailed report should be given to members, Thereafter, report should be provided to members on a regular basis.

2. The Jobs and Poverty Campaign should be the centrepiece of COSATU and affiliate campaigns in the three years ahead. Other forms of action should be considered to supplement strike action.

2. To have a full discussion around the nature of the demands as well as the tactics of the campaign in all COSATU and affiliate structures.

3. Our mass strikes and protest actions should not only take a one day form but should be sustained until our demands are met.

4. The demands should also focus on key demands such as for the nationalisation under workers’ control of the commanding heights of the economy, industries or companies where retrenchments are envisaged or have taken place.

5. The campaign should include a focus on:

> a. A living wage for workers as the primary means of combating growing poverty. Commission NALEDI to conduct research on the living wage particularly the level of such a wage. The living wage campaign is the conernstone of the work of nay trade union. > b. The state should provide a living unemployed benefit.This must be linked to resolution 3.19 on broader based social secutoiry net with the inclusion of “including to what amount the BIG campaign demand of R100 should be revised on the light of the rise of cost of living or impact of inflation over the years. > c. The state should provide permanent, quality jobs in the public service and not temporary, low-paid jobs as envisaged in the Extended Public Works Programme. > d. The state should increase tax on company profits and the rich while scrapping VAT. > e. Trade agreements should not undermine the capacity of developing countries to build a strong economic base, and in this context noting the attempts through the WTO to push for expanded trade liberalisation that would cause massive job losses in South Africa and a number of other countries of the south, and reject attempts by rich countries to coerce developing countires to enter into trade negotiations or deal on areas of service investment, government procurement, and competition. > f. Fair trade as a basis for our trading relationship with other countries, with respect for worker rights in all trading nations, fair access for developing countries to the markets of developed countries and fair prices for goods from the South. Reject the suggested trade offs between NAMA and agreement any agreement on agriculture by rich countries. > g. Industrial policy measures and framework to rebuild and modernise our manufacturing base, create strong links between services and manufacturing and beneficiate more local products. > h. Economic policies to ensure that all policies promote the growth of decent work (more jobs and better jobs for all). > i. A 2010 World Cup that is developmental in focus and creates quality jobs. The 2010 World Cup to be bound by an Agreement to support the Proudly SA campaign and promote fair labour standards. COSATU must meet SAFA and LOC and engage them on job creation towards and asfter 2010; define the role of the working class during the world cup. > j. The Proudly SA and buy local manufactured goods campaigns as ways of retaining jobs in South Africa, with public sector and retailer commitments to the campaigns. Government procurement should support the local industry and all three levels of government should, wherever possible, procure all their goods from companies who manufacture them locally, with respect for the rights of workers. Retailers should ensure that at least 75% of their light consumer goods (clothing, footwear, food, plastics, etc) are manufactured locally and should enter into a Code on Procurement with the union movement to achieve this. Given the fact that governemtn has indicated its willingness to engage with retailers who are critizing the South Africa-China agreement on clothing and textile importas, COSATU must mobilise to ensure that positive aspects and gains in this agrteement are not reversed in the process. A further debate should be conducted at the CEC on the PSA. The issues of discussion include:


 * The implications for workers in other countries of PSA and whether it’s not potentially xenophobic
 * The implications for international solidarity and workjers in other countries.
 * The ideological basis for such a campaign.

> k. Government tender standards should include observance of fair labour standards as well as local procurement. > l. Competition authorities should be bound to a strong job security and job creation mandate and should be required to work with trade unions to ensure compliance with this mandate.

6. To welcome the use of trade measures to save jobs, such as the China Quota on clothing and textiles. To launch a public information campaign on the high social cost of the flood of imports, to monitor the procurement of retailers to ensure that is directed at locally manufactured goods.

7. COSATU and the SACP must do everything in their power to redirect the energy of the state towards a planned economy capable of meeting the needs of the people and the poor; such a planned economy must not rule out the possibilities for nationalization and redistribution of the country’s vast and enormous material resources.

8.To reject free trade agreements (bilateral or multilateral) that will lead to job losses, and work with unions elsewhere in the world to defeat attempts through the WTO Agreement to limit policy space for developing countries.

9. To have a national retrenchment monitoring system in NEDLAC with quarterly data released to the public. COSATU should develop a clear job creation programme which shall be preceded by affiliates doing sector analysis and identifying areas in which jobs can be created and that be reviewed periodically.

10. To campaign for amendment of the country’s Constitution to include the right to work in the Bill of Rights.

11. To call for the following amendments to the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (move to resolution 3.11.2)

> a. Provision for a special sectoral determination aimed at addressing the plight of workers in atypical jobs since they are the most vulnerable. > b. Amending Section 54 to compel the Employment Conditions Commission (ECC) to set itself the objective of combating high levels of atypical employment when advising the Minister on Sectoral Determinations. > c. Introducing a provision which increases the number of the ECC members by providing for a community constituency representative in the commission. > d. The working week should be reduced to 35 hours without any loss of income or benefits.

12. To continue with our campaign to stop privatization and job losses.

13. To actively involve ourselves in community campaigns for the provision of basic social services, including the right to decent housing, education, transport and health (free provision of ARVs by state hospitals, etc).

14. To form coalitions with all forces committed to the objectives of the Jobs and Poverty Campaign..

15. To form a “United Front Jobs and Poverty Campaign Forum” consisting of COSATU, affiliates and our allies and supporters of the campaign, community organisations, NGO’s, SACP etc. that will meet regularly and co-ordinate the campaign.

16. The campaign should be built from the bottom-up and not driven as a high profile media campaign by a few leaders. To this extent industrial and community locals have to be resuscitated and resourced.

17. Attention should be focussed on weaker affiliates to ensure strengthening of COSATU in the provinces and meaningful participation of all workers in the campaign.

18. A concerted attempt within affiliates and by the Federation should be made to organise the unemployed, informal workers and casuals. This should be co-ordinated by the COSATU organisers’ forum.

19. Consider regulation of illegal migrant labour that is used to perpetuate casualisation in sectors such as retail and hospitality.

20. In Sectoral restructuring which result in mass retrenchment workers should be given first preference to own the operations especially in food and textile industry. In mining call on the government to own 50% of platinum, diamond.

21. India, Brazil and South Africa coalition should negotiate an international fund that will help developing and poor countries with structural adjustment contionalities.

22. Trade unions should be considered an engaged and companies not register as different entitires after liquidation, Workers should be trrreated and considered as preferred creditor during liquidation and government should make it difficult for companies to liquidate.

23. Continue the alliance on issues and demand raised in the campaign

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