WORKERS' impatience, demonstrated by a series of strikes, shows that recession affects the wages of the working class.

Recently it was doctors on strike, followed by construction workers in key state projects.

Already teachers are threatening the ANC government with a huge strike. Teachers are demanding a 12percent salary increase and implementation of specific occupation dispensation.

Are workers unreasonable or counter-revolutionary or just greedy and selfish? The answer is no. It is the ruling ANC that promised workers a land of milk and honey under Msholozi.

Already the government has failed to lead by example by cutting expenditure. Huge funds were spent on the inauguration bashes of provincial premiers and President Jacob Zuma. Ministers buy expensive cars while the cabinet was increased to 34 members at huge cost to the taxpayer. Zuma remains silent.

With such wanton spending, doctors, nurses, social workers, police, construction workers and civil servants are entitled to demand these huge increases.

A study conducted by Cosatu, presented at its last national congress, clearly revealed that workers are mainly concerned about their wages.

For Cosatu's Sdumo Dhlamini and Zwelinzima Vavi to have political hegemony over Cosatu and ANC, they must be seen to be fighting for higher wages than for good corporate governance and implementation of Batho Pele.

Is the "2009 class project" betraying workers like the "1996 class project" did? I am sure Cyril Ramaphosa, Tokyo Sexwale and the "2009 class project" will be happy that the ANC will not nationalise land, mines and banks.

Pinky Luthayi, Newcastle