Govt readies for 'social compact' talks

Cape Town - The government hopes by the end of this coming week to reach an agreement with the three major labour federations on details for a comprehensive social security package.  

Discussions, convened by the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) will be held over three days at the Roodevallei conference centre, outside Pretoria, starting on Wednesday.

At least six government ministers and a clutch of labour economists are expected to address leaders from Cosatu, the Federation of Unions (Fedusa) and the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu). Among them will be Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel, who returned this weekend from the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Also scheduled to address the unionists are Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini and the Basic and Higher Education Ministers, Angie Motshekga and Blade Nazimande.  Scheduled academic speakers include Professor Imran Valodia, who chaired the panel that recommended a R3 500 minimum wage and Professor Chris Malikane.

The unionists are keen to discuss a comprehensive welfare package that will go well beyond the minimum wage proposal, but will also be pushing for some guarantees from government about the retention and creation of “decent jobs”.