COSATU welcomes the Edcon deal that has saved the jobs of 40 000 workers in the Edcon group (Edgars, Jet and CNA), as well as 100 000 workers in clothing and textile factories, cleaning, security and transport companies that supply them.

Edcon is simply too large and important to be allowed to fail. Its demise would have been an unprecedented jobs bloodbath for an already fragile economy.

Edcon must appreciate that this is not a blank cheque. Now that Edcon has been saved at great expense, COSATU will not accept to see any workers being retrenched down the road. Management must now play its role and stabilise and grow Edcon, and protect its employees. COSATU and its affiliates will fight any move that sees any workers losing their jobs.

Issued by COSATU

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