COSATU is fully behind the planned NEHAWU National strike at the TVET and CET colleges

The Congress of South African Trade Unions fully supports the upcoming NEHAWU national strike in all the Technical and Vocational Education and Training [TVET] and Community Education and Training [CET] colleges in the country. This indefinite strike will on the 14th February 2019.

Workers are justified in their decision to withdraw their labour and send a clear message to the powers that be that they are no longer going to allow themselves to be exploited. We call on the Department of Higher Education to work with the union to resolve the issues that have been raised by the workers.

Workers are justified in calling for decent working conditions and urgent steps to address the crisis facing the TVET and CET sector.

We commend NEHAWU for focusing on workplace battles to help improve workers wages, improve conditions of employment and defend their jobs.

COSATU agrees with the demand for responsive and accountable leadership of the higher education sector. Workers need to continue to fight bureaucratic arrogance and demand government officials that are selflessly dedicated to improving their conditions by embarking on a series of campaigns aimed at turning their situation around.

We call on workers to remain united during this strike until their demands are met. The anti-union and anti-worker tendencies need to be eradicated roots and branch. We cannot tolerate the victimisation of our Shop stewards and workers need to remember that we lose the rights we do not defend. COSATU also urges other affiliated unions and workers, in general, to offer NEHAWU members solidarity support during their strike.

Issued by COSATU

Sizwe Pamla (Cosatu National Spokesperson)
Tel: 011 339 4911
Fax: 011 339 5080
Cell: 060 975 6794