EDITORIAL:
Players: join the union!
Last week COSATU reiterated its call to the country's soccer players
to join the union so as to, among others, be able to safeguard their
future.
We believe that if many players come together and consolidate the South
African Football Players Union, countless challenges facing the soccer
industry can be conquered.
The players would be able to achieve basic benefits such as medical
aids. Our view is that had players became mobilised in fight for such
obstacles, we would not be having a situation such as the one Sizwe
Motaung is in.
We would like to take this opportunity to call upon the nation to assist
in Sizwe's recovery by making donations to his fund.
Sunday Times to apologise
For the first time in the history of the progressive labour movement,
a newspaper is forced to publicly apologise for misinformation.
Sunday Times has been forced to apologise in its next edition after
running a story earlier this year on the Pietersburg Job Summit agreement.
The writer contested that Cosatu has sold out its members by agreeing
to the Public Service and Administration Department's proposal on retrenchments.
We hope Hogarth (the paper's columnist), who run a joke that our president,
Willie Madisha, was asleep during negotiations, will swallow his words.
Nedlac negotiations still on
Negotiations at Nedlac on the labour law amendments are still on. We
hope to give you a full report on the outcome in the next edition.
Sunday Times to apologise
South Africa's biggest weekend newspaper, Sunday Times, would run a
front page article in its next edition apologising to the public for
misinformation on the outcome of the Pietersburg Job Summit held earlier
this year in the Northern Province.
This follows an appeal by Hassen Lorgat of Sadtu and Moloantoa Molaba
of Nehawu, to the Press Ombudsman on behalf of Cosatu.
Sunday Times run an article contesting that the federation's president,
Willie Madisha, has sold out the workers by agreeing to the Department
of Public Service and Administration's restructuring, which was predictably
to lead to massive job losses.
"They were found to have transgressed a lot of provisions of media
code of conduct like, harmful inaccurate reporting, misinterpretation
of facts and unbalanced reporting," said Lorgat and Molaba.
Zim civil society groups reject govt's intention
Zimbabwe civil society organisations said yesterday that they would
reject any attempt by the country's government to stop them from providing
voter education to their members, ahead of the national election in
May next year.
The government said in the national paper that it will outlaw or bar
civic organisations from carrying out any voter education programmes.
The organisations, which include the country's labour unions such as
Zimbabwean Farmers Union and Public Service Association, contested that
it was their right and obligation to educate and inform members on the
laws of the country, including electoral laws.
It said that the government has failed "tremendously" to
provide such kind of education to people as a result it was critical
that they take over.
"The groups will take all measures to defend their legal and social
rights and responsibility to inform and educate the public," said
the organisations.
Freedom Charter far from completely implementation
- COSATU
On the eve of the celebration of the Freedom Charter's 46th Anniversary,
Cosatu has raised concern with the government for not implementing most
of the demands enshrined in the Charter, launched on 26 June 1955.
The federation said on Tuesday that demands on issues such as unemployment,
housing, health, and education have not yet been fully implemented.
"Cosatu believes that 46 years after the launch of the Charter,
immense challenges lie ahead before we can say that the Freedom Charter
has been fully implemented...for workers and the poor there is another
long road of struggle to achieve all the Charter's demands," said
the federation.
It said that the Freedom Charter contained promises on, among others,
sharing of the country's wealth by all people, accessibility to unemployment
benefits, and work security - however, none of these were fully put
into operation.
"They (people) were promised 'work and security'...but for at
least four million unemployed workers and their families there is still
no such. Cosatu is angry that the massacre of jobs has accelerated under
the ANC government and has reached crisis levels," said Cosatu.
The federation further said by introducing policies on privatization,
outsourcing, and selling of publicly owned institutions' shares to public
and private ownerships, the government has shifted from the aims of
the Charter.
However, it saluted the "heroism of all those who were inspired
by the Freedom Charter by taking up the struggle to end apartheid."
Cosatu further called upon workers and civil society to continue the
struggle for the Charter's outstanding demands so as to reach a stage
whereby the nation can truly say: "South Africa belongs to all
who live in it."
Don't block democracy - Cosatu
says
Traditional leaders' resistance to the Traditional
Authorities, Powers and Functions Bill, passed by the Department of
Provincial and Local government recently, is contrary to the spirit
of democracy and the spirit of the Freedom Charter's principle that
"the people shall govern," Cosatu said yesterday.
Welcoming the Bill as a maintenance for a strong, democratic
government to ensure provision of services to people in local government,
the federation said the Bill removes hindrance over lack of clarity
over roles of leaders in the process.
"Cosatu supports the provision in the Bill that ensure that Traditional
leaders, as respected leaders in their communities and regions, should
have a well-defined role in policy development," said Cosatu.
It called to the traditional leaders in this country "not to stand
in the way of democracy" as the bill protects their powers, functions
and roles as far as possible in the context of the country's democratic
constitution.
Swaziland
behaviour unbecoming, says COSATU
If the Swazi government and King Mswati III assume
that repression was a tool for sustainable power, they should consult
apartheid forces - they will tell them that tactics of repression only
serve to mobilise resistance from the working and opressed people, Cosatu
said this week.
The federation's response follows the Swazi government's
declaration of the state of emergency on June 22, which is reinforcing
its 1973 Act that banned political parties and activities in the kingdom.
The Act proclaims, among other things, that any statement that could
amount to ridicule or insult to the king and any conduct that the authority
may deem to be against the monarch, non-bailable offenses.
Cosatu said the two "offenses", as well as
the intended removal of appointments of judges from the Judicial Services
Commission, imply that the king would always be right and is not subject
to criticism and therefore all matters which are before him are unchallengeable.
It criticized this as "unbecoming behavior" by the regime
as it undermines the principle of separation of powers.
"There is no way the King, or anyone under the
sun, can be not subject to criticism," said Cosatu.
The federation also said the closure of the two national
papers for freely expressing views is the worst form of repression and
manifestation of military-style dictatorship under the skin of the monarchy.
It said this also constitutes gross violation of the universal principle
of the freedom of the press.
It said these practices by the King and his lackeys
have stooped so low that they should be stopped in their tracks. "While
the regime is using dirty tactics and repression to undermine efforts
for democratisation and trade union rights, our experience is that these
tactics are bound to backfire very soon," it said.
Ambulances should be accompanied
by drivers, NEHAWU says
The recent announcement by the national Minister of
Health, Dr. Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, that provincial health departments
will purchase new fleet of ambulances was welcomed by COSATU's health
and public sector union, but said there would be a need for employement
of drivers as well.
National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union
(NEHAWU) said the move is a relief to emergency service employees whose
morale has been low because of old ambulances' improper conditions.
However, the union said while it acknowledge that there has been tangible
movement to avail emergency services to these provinces, one key area
that stands out is shortage of staff.
"We fear that if the new fleet is bought and there
is no parallel process to hire and train new staff and transform the
service, then we will have new ambulances without staff to operate them,"
said Nehawu, adding that this will amount to a waste of public resources.
Cosatu slams government for
undermining drugs victory
Cosatu this week slammed Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang
of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, particularly after the
one scored against the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association months
ago. The federation was responding to recent statements by the minister
casting doubt on whether the South African government will provide anti-retroviral
drugs to HIV/Aids sufferers even if they become more affordable.
Tshabalala-Msimang's main concern regarding provision
of drugs is centered around toxicity, lack of infrastructure and government's
ability to monitor the treatment.
Cosatu said there are sufficient reasons for the government
to begin a program of providing anti-retrovirals as part of a comprehensive
treatment strategy rather than feeding the public with untruthful excuses.
It said the introduction of drugs in industrialized
countries has led to a decline of up to 80 percent in deaths from Aids.
"In Brazil, which like South Africa has a relatively weak health
system and massive income inequalities, systematic provision of anti-retrovirals
has cut the death rate by half," said the federation.
It emphasized that the Brazil experience means that
systematic provision of anti-retrovirals will enable the country to
substantially prolong the life of at least half of fellow South Africans,
including workers, with HIV.
The federation further said that from an economic point
of view, for example, for every worker who become too ill to work or
dies, five dependents lose their income and this amount to loss of productivity.
"Given these facts, we cannot understand why the
Ministry of Health says we cannot introduce anti-retroviral treatment,"
Cosatu said.
It said the statements by the Minister are not helpful
and amounts to "fiddling whilst Rome burns."
SAMWU holds anti-privatisation workshop
South African Municipal and Allied Workers Union (SAMWU)
is holding a Southern Africa Solidarity Workshop against privatisation
in Harare, Zimbabwe. The workshop, attended by trade unions from Namibia,
Swaziland, Zambia, Mozambique and South Africa kicked off on Wednesday
this week and ends today.
Samwu said the pace of privatisation of water and energy
in African countries has increased in the last two years and there have
already been major African privatisation failures during the period.
It said all Southern African municipal workers need to come up with
a common programme to fight the privatisation of municipal services.
"Many privatisatons in Africa have failed, at
a high cost to governments who have to bail the service out. In Africa
only three French companies have dominated the 18 major African privatisations
in the past two years," said Samwu International Officer, Victor
Mhlongo.
Mhlongo said privatisation has become a breeding ground
for corruption in this continent, "with contracts awarded in secret
and without competative tendering. "Two recent contracts to French
Vivendi in Chad and Kenya revealed no financial details of the agreements,"
said Mhlongo.
He said privatisation has also led to suffering for
workers and wasting of of public money. Samwu said the workshop will
come up with a date for a Southern African day jof action against privatisation.
SACP celebrates 80 years
By Nandipha Miti
_________________
The celebration of 80 years is an opportune moment for
the South African Communist Party and the South African working class
as a whole to take a step back and reflect on the 80 years of history,
struggle, sacrifice, commitment, achievements, challenges and what the
future should hold for the party, the party's general secretary, Blade
Nzimande said yesterday.
He was speaking at the launch of the SACP's 80th Anniversary
celebrations held at Johannesbrug City Hall.
Among the national leaders attending the historic celebration
were COSATU deputy general secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali, ANC general
secretary Kgalema Motlanthe and COSATU president, Willie Madisha.
Nzimande said the party's celebration of 80 years is
not only about history but fostering its struggle against major challenges
facing the the working class and the South Africans in general. He urged
all workers and workers' representatives to be mobilized so as to consolidate
political and class consciousness among themselves and communities.
"We therefore call on all shopstewards who are here today to ensure
that over the next four weeks in each and every workplace - using your
tea and lunch breaks, you will discuss and exchange views about the
party," said Nzimande.
He said that way workers would be taking the SACP, its
history, program, role, and future to all the people
Cosatu president Willie Madisha said as the SACP celebrates
this anniversary, workers should stand up against government advances
aiming at undermining the their rights. He urged every worker to join
in the struggle against the privatization of state-owned assets as well
as amendments to the labour laws.
COSATU’s
planned anti-privatisation action heats up…
COSATU’s intentions for a two-day anti-privatisation
strike gained momentum when it tabled a notice to the National Economic
Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) on Tuesday this week.
In a statement issued immediately after the federation’s
submission, Nedlac said COSATU has indicated a strike action culminating
if the state does not halt its intentions that will lead to the privatisation
of the state-owned parastatals.
The government’s intentions include the restructuring
of state parastatals, enterprises and services carried out by the state
and the state's opening up of industries.
The notice was tabled in terms of Section 77 of the
Labour Relations Act, which allows registered trade unions or federations
of trade unions to undertake protest action to promote and protect the
social and economic interests of workers, if they follow certain procedures.
Apart from the two-day planned national strike, protest action
would include marches, protest rallies and demonstrations.
NUM
rejects Eskom offer…
The National Eskom Council of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)
last weekend took a resolution to reject the electricity utility Eskom’s 9% salary increase.
The Council demands 10% increase.
The NUM says the company’s offer is low compared to
the one it offered last year, taking into consideration its improvement
in financial growth.
"The NUM will be discussing with other unions to garner
support on this matter," said the union.
Negotiations between the union and the company are on.
NUM
demands sufficient company contribution…
Close to 500 members of the National Union of Mineworkers
at Securicor-Gray Security Services, a UK company, went on a nation-wide
strike on Wednesday against the company’s refusal to negotiate the workers’
Provident Fund.
The union demands that the security company contribute 15% to the provident
fund.
NUM said the demand is fair and justified taking into consideration
the dangerous situation its members work under. "It’s shameful
that a company that prides itself of taking care of its employees contributes
less towards their well being," the union said.
800
NUMSA members on strike…
More than 800 workers belonging to the National Union
of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) downed tools yesterday at the
X-Strata company in Rustenburg against the company’s refusal to accede
to its demands on severance packages and lay-offs.
The union earlier this week gave a 48-hour notice for
a protected strike action to the chrome making company in terms of the
Labour Relations Act no 66 of 1995, which require unions to submit their
intentions on industrial actions.
The action follows NUMSA and the company’s failure
to reach a consensus during last week’s meeting under the Engineering
Bargaining Council over the company’s voluntary separation package and
lay-offs of 200 workers.
The union says the company is, among others, paying laid-off workers
25% of their basic salary
including attendance bonus and housing subsidy.
The company has also suspended the workers’ medical aid membership.
"NUMSA is extremely opposed to the retrenchments and lay-offs because they will add to the
woes of the metal industry which is currently losing 2000 workers per
month in the engineering sector," said the union’s spokesman, Dumisa
Ntuli.
Ntuli said the company also failed to consider alternatives
such as re-employment opportunities in the company, the skills of the
affected workers and the need of skills in the company.
The union demands, among others, 75% of the workers’
basic salary, 100% provident fund contributions, continued medical aid
membership, R30 000 ex-gratia payment to all retrenched workers, and
that lay-offs be on a two weeks basis.
NUMSA has also threatened to organise other workers
within the industry to join in on a solidarity strike and further vowed
to continue with the strike until its demands are met.
Letters
COSATU Weekly believes that there are a variety of
weekly developments that need to be discussed or raised to the attention
of the readers and workers at large. If you have any compliments, queries
or comments on the current issues, send us your brief letter to The Editor or fax it to (011) 339-7788. The newsletter can only publish a few letters a week.
Dear Sir,
Parastatals cleansing for workers’ benefit…
Clearly we need to stop the continuing financial bleeding
and mismanagement of our parastatals. To make our parastatals efficient
and effective we need a concerted programme of skills development at
all levels of the institutions, clear lines of accountability of all
employees within the companies and to the govt. We need to be decisive
and ruthless on corrupt employees at all levels of the companies. We
also need better management of our relations with other similar companies
around the world. This current tendency of making only workers to take
the pain of restructuring (which some managers have consciously but
mistakenly equated with privatisation and retrenchment of workers) is
just not on. Micro plans in any parastatals have to be linked to the
macro picture and developmental needs of our country which are mainly
linked to closing the criminal legacy of neglect left by the apartheid
system.
Mr Hope Mankwana Papo
Deputy Chief Whip (ANC)
Gauteng Provincial Legislature, Johannesburg, South Africa
By e-mail
Dear Sir,
Great service from COSATU and SAMWU
Congratulations - a great service indeed! But some
credit to Anna Weekes from SAMWU. Anna first started this service -
"Today’s News" - a few years ago and I am glad that COSATU
has added a weekly update as well! Pictures? How about enclosing some
pictures that go with the articles? Where is the story on the World
Economic Forum protest in Durban? Or have I missed it? Once again -
Congratulations SAMWU (Anna) and COSATU!
W. Aroun,
NUMSA KZN Education Department
By e-mail
