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Farm Workers Indaba 13-03-07 |
Food & Allied Workers Union
Vuyisile Mini Centre, Cnr NY1 and NY 110, Guguletu, 7750 - PO Box 1234 Woodstock, 7915
Tel (021) 637 9040, Fax (021) 637 9190 - E-mail: Dominique-f...@telkomsa.net
HEAD HEAD OFFICE
13 March 200
13 MARCH 2007
Press Release: For Immediate Release
FAWU TO FORMULATE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR FARM WORKERS
The Food and Allied Workers' Union [FAWU], an affiliate of COSATU, has convened a political seminar on farm workers plight on the 14th March and a two- day strategy workshop on farm workers organizing strategy in order to formulate a political and organizational campaigns to highlight the plight of these vulnerable segment of the workers and pursue their struggles on the 15th and 16th March 2007.
On 14 March the seminar will be addressed by Lulama Xingwana, the Minister of Agriculture at 09h00; continuing with Dr. Blade Nzimande, SACP General Secretary; and Willie Madisha, COSATU President. We believe that the Minister of Agriculture has, with her end of the year and activism against abuse messages been vindicated by the report of the Human Rights Commission on farm workers treatment and human rights in agricultural sector, as submitted to Parliament.
A press conference will be convened on Wednesday, 14 March at 13h15 at the Booysens Hotel, Booysens Street, Johannesburg.
The purpose of the strategy workshop is:
· To locate a strategy for organizing farm workers within the union's overarching organization building program;
· To begin to share ideas and explore possibilities for collaborative work and partnership in addressing the struggles of farm workers in South Africa;
· To develop a plan towards the implementation of COSATU's Congress Resolution on farm dwellers, labor tenants and land reform.
The workshop session will begin with a presentation from NALEDI on the challenges of organizing farm workers as well as the organizational readiness, or lack of, of FAWU in taking up this challenge. Other presentations will be made by organizations such as National African Farmers Union (NAFU) representing black farm owners, Congress of traditional leaders of S A (CONTRALESA) and SA civics organization (SANCO). There will also be a reflection on organizational and sectoral experience as articulated by NGOs such as the Legal Resource Center and Lawyers for Human Rights.
Released By: FAWU media office, Dominique Swartz @082 498 5631
Please contact FAWU General Secretary Katishi Masemola at 082 467 2509 or alternatively, the writer.