Mr Speaker, Cope upholds the constitutional rights of workers to engage in industrial action and to withhold their labour to enhance their remuneration and working conditions. This right, however, must be exercised responsibly and without violence.
During the strike, valuable time that cannot be made up now in education was lost and plans must be implemented. Although the blame is wholly shifted to educators and other public sector workers, the employer cannot escape culpability in this regard because of bad faith negotiations and arrogant ministerial statements. By allowing the industrial action to be prolonged, matters got out of hand and people suffered injuries, deaths in hospitals and learners were unable to complete their syllabi.
Had government, inter alia, curtailed accesses with regard to luxury vehicles travel costs, hotel bills by some of the Ministers present here, there would have been money in the fiscus to pay teachers, health workers and others salaries commensurate with their qualifications and responsibilities. Unfortunately government has been spending freely and lavishly, and then it begins to plead poverty when public sector workers request legitimate improvements in remuneration.
Government has three weeks to settle the problems faced by workers. We are saying to you that you must negotiate in good faith. We call on government to learn a lesson from this very long industrial action in our country's history. Salary reviews going forward must precede the passing of the budget and not occur subsequently to its passing. [Time expired.]