CWAO IN THE NEWS

The workers are building on momentum created by a recent victory in the Constitutional Court that confirmed that labour broker workers are deemed the permanent employees of only the client companies making use of their services after three months of on-going work.

“The trade unions have failed us,” said Joshua Hlungwani, a former labour broker worker who is a member of the Simunye Workers Forum, an association of mainly labour broker workers behind the campaign. “We will fight our own struggles. The law is in our favour at the moment, and we must use it to fight for permanent jobs for all.”

The Labour Relations Act changed in 2014 to give labour broker and contract workers the right to become permanent employees after three months of on-going work. The rights came into effect in 2015 and precipitated intense industrial conflict as employers resisted their implementation.

According to Ighsaan Schroeder of the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO) the only motivation for labour broking is for business owners to increase their profits. “They do this in three ways,” added Schroeder, “cutting wages, slicing benefits and undermining worker organising. They have a new weapon in this struggle namely the trade unions. Trade unions changed from being a weapon of the workers to being a weapon of the bosses.’

Zama Tshabalala, also of CWAO, pointed out that women have a central role in the struggles of labour broker workers. “Women workers are the most exploited,” she said, “and the struggle is the most powerful when they lead it.” She called on women labour broker workers to join the newly formed Simunye Women Workers Forum. End

For comment or information:

Khongelani Hlungwani 0737339162

Ighsaan Schroeder 0798882229

Zama Tshabalala 0837287658

 

 

Category: PRESS RELEASE | WORKERS RIGHTS