Statement on meeting between government and COSATU

President Cyril Ramaphosa chaired a meeting today, Friday, 11 December 2020, between government and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) on a range of issues raised by the largest trade union federation in the country.

President Ramaphosa, Deputy President David Mabuza and members of the national executive engaged with the Central Executive Committee of COSATU on federation proposals that included implementation of the three-year multi-term agreement reached in the Public Service Coordinating Bargaining Council in 2018. The agreement provides for salary adjustments and improvements to conditions of service in the public sector in the financial years 2018/19; 2019/20, and 2020/21.

COSATU presented its views on a number of workplace issues as well as challenges presented to society more broadly by the  COVID-19 pandemic. Government provided updates on progress in some of these areas.

The meeting agreed that government and the trade union federation will continue engagement on these issues. The meeting also resolved that a platform would be created for the parties to hold high-level discussions twice a year that would include but not be limited to matters of labour relations.

President Ramaphosa expressed his appreciation to COSATU for its forthright engagement and assured the federation that government would never abandon the principle and constitutionally protected right to collective bargaining.

Issues discussed today will remain the subject of engagement between COSATU and National Treasury, the Department of Employment and Labour, the Department of Transport, the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies, the Department of Public Enterprises and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.


Media enquiries: Tyrone Seale, Acting Spokesperson to the President at media@presidency.gov.za

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria