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Cosatu urges govt to enforce National Minimum Wage compliance

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Cosatu says government has to enforce the National Minimum Wage compliance. The federation says errant companies and organisations get away with gross violations.

The African National Congress’s (ANC) alliance partner made this call while outlining plans for 12 rallies across the country in KwaZulu-Natal.

The CCMA has thousands of cases of non-compliance when it comes to the National Minimum Wage.

The retail industry is the biggest culprit. This is despite the proclamation of National Minimum Wage bill which came into effect early in January 2019, forcing companies to pay their employees a minimum of R20 per hour or R3 500 a month.

Farmworkers and domestic workers are exempted from paying the same rate, but some companies are still not complying.

Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi says, “If you fail to name and shame as a start, these infringements will continue to happen. Secondly, it’s to ensure that employers themselves at the level neglect they are doing what they are supposed to do by educating those that are their members.”

Meanwhile, Cosatu says it’s against calls for privatising state-owned entities.

The Federation condemned government for not declaring the upcoming Election Day and Workers Day, non-trading holidays. Cosatu says workers are still subjected to working longer hours and on these public holidays.

KZN Cosatu Secretary Edwin Mkhize says, “We are not just celebrating this day as just one ceremonial event, but we are celebrating this day as an important revolutionary day, where we can actually engage workers, articulate he plight that workers continue to face in SA, but also a programme of action moving forward.”

Cosatu’s main Mayday rally will be held in Claremont, west of  Durban.

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