Cosatu formerly accepts minimum wage

Johannesburg - Trade union federation Cosatu has agreed to sign the

national minimum wage deal, weeks after it pulled out of collectively signing

with constituencies at the National Economic Development and Labour Council

(Nedlac).

Cosatu said during its post Central Executive Committee

meeting press briefing on Thursday that, although the agreed amount of R3 500,

proposed by parties at Nedlac, fell short of its demand of R4 500 it was a step

in the right direction. 

The national minimum wage talks started at Nedlac in

November 2014. 

Cosatu general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali said Cosatu

office bearers have been given a mandate to sign the deal at Nedlac with

condition of a medium term target to achieve a decent minimum wage. 

Read also:  Cosatu accepts minimum wage

"They must reiterate our position that the starting

figure must be combined with a firmly agreed midium term target to achieve a

decent national minimum wage within a stipulated timeframe and also insist that

an agreement must be reached that there will be annual increase to

progressively achieve this target, said Ntshalintshali. 

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa has also endorsed the

agreement which will see the national minimum wage being introduced by no later

than May next year. 

Ramaphosa also agreed that amount was not enough, but

said it showed a step towards a decent wage for workers. 

@ZintleMahlati 

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