9th+Congress,+Socio-Economic,+6+of+11,+Broad-Based+Black+BEE

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, 6 of 11
=3.6 Broad-Based Black BEE:=


 * Noting:**

1. Racial differences in income, wealth and opportunities remain unacceptably high.

2. The reluctance of the private sector in some quarters to transform and especially to engage with all stakeholders, including labour, in negotiating sector charters developed to deal with sector-specific issues of empowerment and development.

3. The failure of narrow versions of BEE to include skills development, employment equity, broad-based ownership, employment creation and support for co-ops as key elements in effective empowerment for the majority of South Africans.


 * Resolve:**

1. To campaign concretely campaign for a truly broad based black economic empowerment in which mass empowerment of the young, women and rural are key defining feature and in which elite enrichment of the few is condemned. Campaign for a BBBEE that result in mass empowerment (FAWU). To actively promote a BBBEE strategy as encompassed by the Act and the Codes of Good Practice which seeks to radically empower all previously disadvantaged communities by opening up access to economic opportunities and permanently alleviating poverty.

2. To campaign against a narrow, self-interest interpretation of BBBEE centred on ownership and the enrichment of a few. This strategy must redistribute wealth among all disadvantaged communities and serve as a tool to eradicate not only racial and class, but also gender inequalities.

3. Broad-based BEE must include payment of a living wage. All BEE companies should sign a Charter of Worker Rights in which they commit to supporting at least the following rights of workers.

> a. Payment of a living wage. > b. Full and comprehensive trade-union rights. > c. Advanced health and safety practices.

4. That all sectors and industries the BEE charters must be outcomes of stakeholder negotiations (FAWU). To call for and ensure that the empowerment charter process takes place in all sectors and that industry engages effectively with other stakeholders, specifically labour, on empowerment issues.

5. To campaign and call on government to design an especially earmarked legislation to make it easy for SMME, ESOPs and Coops to acess financing products. (FAWU)To encourage government to facilitate access to finance for SMMEs and co-operatives, especially those with job-creation potential.

6. To give our support to other initiatives such as the Financial Sector Charter and the related SACP campaign, which aim to provide previously disadvantaged individuals with access to economic opportunities.

7. That BEE Codes provide no exemption particularly for MNC to be covered by Codes (FAWU). To call for other empowerment vehicles which fall outside the codes of good practice such as land and agrarian reform, public works programmes and the re-nationalisation of state owned assets and enterprises. Code should not exempt MNC (FAWU).

8. To implement mass training programmes for workers and the unemployed with regards to addressing Skills Development and Employment Equity issues, etc.

9. COSATU, together with partners such as the Dora Tamana Institute must develop clear guidelines on the establishment of cooperatives. Coops must be used as model for mass based empowerment (FAWU).

10. Alliance must define previously disantaged people (SACCAWU).

11. Secretariat Report on p.102 both noting and resolve.

12. Reiterate 8th Congress Resolution and incorporate new concerns in p.102 of the Secretariat Report

13. New developments – charter of workers rights, charter as product of negotiations.

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