COSATU+condemns+violence+against+strikers



=COSATU condemns violence against strikers=

The Congress of South African Trade Unions deplores the injuries inflicted today on seven striking workers at X-Strata Chrome, after the Protea private security company opened fire on them with tear gas canisters and rubber bullets, and rammed a vehicle into the picketing crowd, seriously injuring one worker in the leg and ribs. He was quickly rushed to hospital by a fellow worker.

The strikers, members of NUMSA, were peacefully picketing and toy-toying outside the company premises, in Rustenburg, North West, when, without any prior warning, the security company opened fire.

This incident comes just four days after police in Johannesburg opened fire, also with rubber bullets and tear gas, on striking SAMWU members. It is outrageous that some employers still think they can treat their workers the same brutal way as in the days of apartheid. In both these cases workers were taking part in legal strike action. We condemn the role played in both these cases by the police and security guards, whose gross overreaction only inflamed workers who were already angry at their employers’ intransigence.

The main blame however lies with the employers, whose methods suggest that they are looking for confrontation and have no intention of trying to resolve the disputes through negotiation.

COSATU unions are committed to disciplined and peaceful forms of protest, and cannot be blamed when employers deliberately set out to antagonise workers in the way we have seen in these two instances.

In the case of X-Strata in particular, we condemn the use of a private security company. The staff of such companies are not qualified or trained to handle strikes and picketing, and should never be used in such events.

COSATU urges the workers not to be intimidated by these brutal attacks but to continue their peaceful strikes and protest actions, so that they can achieve a decent living wage. We also send our best wishes to the injured workers for a full and speedy recovery.

Congress of South African Trade Unions 1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets Braamfontein, 2017
 * Paul Notyhawa (Spokesperson)

P.O.Box 1019 Johannesburg, 2000 South Africa

Cell: 0824911591 Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24 Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940 E-Mail: patrick@cosatu.org.za**