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Cape Town - Cosatu handed a memorandum of demands to the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Lechesa Tsenoli during its strike and march in solidarity with International Day for Decent Work on Friday.
"This will be taken seriously," said Tsenoli after bellowing "Amandla" from the back of a truck.
The memorandum would be circulated at Parliament, where many of the issues raised are already the subject of discussion at committees.
"The issue of a minimum wage is one example," he said.
Cosatu wants the minimum wage to be set at R4 500 a month.
Cosatu members started their march at Keizergracht street, picking up supporters who arrived in their work clothes from Pick n Pay, Checkers and Spar. They were singing and clapping along the way.
Their first stop was at the Western Cape legislature which it called ''the madam's place" to hand over a list of demands from the SA Democratic Teachers Union.
The high spirited and well-marshalled group included members from the National Union of Mineworkers (Num), the SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (Saccawu), the SA Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) and the National Health Education & Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) and the Democratic Nurses Assocation of SA (Denosa)
Sadtu provincial secretary Jonovan Rustin read the demands which included equal schooling facilities in all areas, a maximum of 28 pupils per class and an end to the ''over testing'' which is eating into teaching time.
He wanted Premier Helen Zille to answer within 14 days.
After complaining that the provincial government had only sent a junior official to collect the memorandum, they set off for Parliament in Plein street, via the old Slave Lodge which is now a museum to slavery.
Leaders from the ANC Youth League, the SA Municipal Workers Union and the SA Communist Party were among those throwing their weight behind Cosatu's demands.
Provincial leader Tony Ehrenreich, who read out the demands, gave Parliament 14 days to respond.
Workers want:
- Subsidised public and taxi transport, because they are currently spending 25% of their salary on getting to work and back because of apartheid planning that placed them so far away from towns. This should come from an extra tax to the wealthy.
- Cosatu rejects any e-tolls and wants labour broking to be stopped.
- The minimum wage must be set at R4 500 because workers are becoming swamped in debt with nothing left for their families.
- They want decent hospitals and the introduction of National Health Insurance, and for creches to be free.
He said the union federation supports students calling for fee-free education, but implored students to protest peacefully and for the government and university management to find a solution to the current crisis.
''Let's not destroy our property,'' he said.
Cosatu also wants the government to keep its hands off workers' pensions regarding tax law amendments.
The executive director of the Cape Chamber of Commerce Sid Peimer was also present to receive a copy of the memorandum, and told those gathered that he appreciated what they were doing.
After the memorandum was signed and handed over, the group made its way down Roeland street to disperse, leaving city cleaners to sweep up bottles and abandoned posters.
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