The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), have called for an end to the apartheid wage system which worsens inequality in the country.

“We have come to call for the abolition of the apartheid wage structure, the creation of strong collective bargaining institutions in all sectors of the economy, and a comprehensive social security protection for the unemployed,’’ COSATU President Sidumo Dlamini said.

Dlamini stated this at the COSATU Bargaining, Organising and Campaigns Conference taking place in Boksburg near Johannesburg.

The conference will, among others, consider proposals on measures to transform the apartheid wage structure and craft a new national wage policy.

“These proposals must include a National Minimum Wage, mandatory centralised collective bargaining, as well as ensuring social protection for the unemployed,’’ Dlamini said.

This will include innovative bargaining strategies which will move us away from an over-reliance  across-the-board percentage increases, as well as challenge entrenched discriminatory grading systems.

“While global capitalism attacks ‘the working class’, the ruling class increasingly rewards itself with grotesque pay and bonuses, engages in corrupt practices, and isolates itself from the rest of society by creating a privatised cocoon for itself,’’ Dlamini said.

“The working class is confronted with growing unemployment; a growing precariousness of employment, declining household incomes, reduced pensions and reduced social services.’’

He said COSATU will not allow the current generation of workers whether in South Africa or elsewhere in the world to be  treated as slaves in the name of global recession when there is enough wealth to feed the world.

“Even if that employer is our own popular government which we voted and will continue to vote for, but when they threaten to take that which belongs to us as workers we will not hesitate for a moment to demand and claim it back by force if needs be!,’’ he warned.

The conference, he said, will send a clear message to all employers that the workers will properly claim and maximize what belongs to them.

“We have come here to make a simple and loud call for all to hear that we want our political freedom to be in line with and harmonised with our economic freedom now!’’

He also reaffirmed that workers have the right to go on strike.