Volume 10, No.3 - May 2001

Victory for the people

Trade union news

NUMSA positions itself for VWSA challenges

By Dumisa Ntuli - NUMSA information officer

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) has launched a new campaign called "Ear to the ground", to try and address organisational challenges, having seriously reviewed organisational weaknesses in relation to the VWSA saga, which resulted in the dismissal of 1300 workers.

The union has always based its campaigns on the philosophy that all workers are of equal worth and we strive to improve their status at the workplace. To re-emphasize our philosophy, we are closing the gaps between the union and members.

We want to emphasize that all members have an equal influence on the issues that affect them directly and all take part in decisions of the union. It is a prerequisite for the success of union activities that the campaign increases active participation, dialogue and exchange of information among members.

The campaign is important in preparation for our National Bargaining Conference, which will discuss overarching issues which affect members. These range from wage agreements to workplace restructuring, job losses, parental rights, health and safety. We want to make sure that member's rights are safeguarded by law and taken care of by the union.

The campaign is important in preparation for our National Bargaining Conference, which will discuss overarching issues which affect members. These range from wage agreements to workplace restructuring, job losses, parental rights, health and safety. We want to make sure that member's rights are safeguarded by law and taken care of by the union.

The campaign is important for metalworkers because it takes place within the context of globalisation, job losses and technological changes. We have identified industrial areas that are organised where we need to make a major impact. The starting point will be the Eastern Cape, taking into cognisance the presence of rival unions that want to divide, deceive and mislead workers. We want better services for our disillusioned members.

We recognise that metalworkers are under threat, as employers engage in unilateral restructuring of the industries. Therefore an essential focus of our campaign will be to try and ascertain all our members' problems and views. Undoubtedly it is their ideas that will make the union stronger and more dynamic.

In doing this the union will also organise, provide service and strive to improve workers' rights. We want to encourage and motivate a knowledgeable, active membership that defends their rights all the time.

With this more active and mobilised membership, the unions can turn back the corporate attack and win justice and a better life for working families. The union will target big and small companies, but focus especially on problematic companies like VWSA and the surrounding component manufacturing companies. We have learned a lot from the VWSA and other illegal industrial actions.

We have drawn an organisational lesson - that we should not take militancy for granted. The campaign will give an opportunity to revive structures and assess the organisation's strengths and weaknesses and serve as the foundation for building the union's unity and strength.

We want to remain a classic example of an organised formation that does not wait to be invited but takes the initiative in intervening in the processes that affect the lives of the organised metalworkers, particularly vulnerable workers. The campaign is important for women and the youth, because many of them are found in atypical work in the informal sector, as casual and contract workers.

We are to positioning ourselves for the future as a powerful union in the metal industry that gives service to members and looks after their interest. The drive is to make workers identify themselves with the union rather than the union chasing members. The union must become a home for all working people.

In doing so, we are striving to prove to our detractors that the union is not, and has not been, an elitist organisation. Our goal is to have all members participating in the union activities.

 

NUMSA declares 'year of struggle and collective bargaining

NUMSA's National Collective Bargaining Conference took place in April, in the context of massive job losses, workplace restructuring, the downward variation of core labour standards and concerted capital onslaught against working people in particular, and the working class in general.

The delegates, representing 200 000 members from nine regions resolved to take this battle head-on and to defend the gains won over years of struggle and sacrifice. These are just a few of the resolutions they passed.

On wages, the delegates noted that:

• Wage rates over the years have not improved, in particular, in the motor sector;
• Employers have continuously negotiated in bad faith in most sectors, refusing to depart from their narrow sectarian positions and also failing to negotiate meaningfully at the bargaining table;
• The union has shown a willingness to settle labour disputes through negotiations or where necessary compromise, whereas employers have only demonstrated resistance in settling disputes amicably;
• The closing of the apartheid wage gap has been frustrated and prevented deliberately by the employers' attitudes.

Conference therefore resolved to:

• Redouble our effort in pursuance of our wage demands and to warn employers that this year our struggle for wage increases for our members will be much stronger than in other previous years;
• Redouble our fight for the closing of the wage gap by making sure that the lower-grade workers receive substantial and real wage increases;
• Reiterate our commitment and struggle to improve the wages for the motor sector workers who are continuously paid meagre and exploitative wages;
• Fight hard to improve the wages of the most vulnerable section of our workers, namely the outsourced or sub-contracted workers.

On training, education and training, delegates noted that:

• Employers have been reluctant to invest in training and education, including basic skills training, in spite of the existence of legislation on skills development;
• Education and training currently provided by employers is not socially useful and relevant to community problems;
• Workers' skills have not been portable, functional and practical after retrenchments;
• Skills-based grading has created divisions amongst workers, fostering a dangerous degree of individualism;

Conference resolved to:

• Continue to negotiate for workplace skills plans at plant level;
• Strive to make training to advance and develop workers personally;
• Guarantee training for workers who are affected by new technology and ensure that this training is accredited;
• Demand 200 hours paid time off for education and training per workers per year or the length of the entire course, whichever is greater;

On job losses and workplace restructuring, delegates noted that:

• More than quarter of a million workers in the metal industries have lost their jobs in just two decades;
• The introduction of outsourcing, sub-contracting and labour brokers has seriously led to the retrenchment of workers;
• Labour market flexibility has threatened hard-won rights of workers. Conference therefore resolved to:
• Push employers to negotiate with the union regarding the closure of the company and liquidation;
• Ensure that black economic empowerment companies adhere to the rights of workers and prevent the loss of workers' jobs and the erosion of workers' rights;
• Support labour intensive investment that will improve the social needs of South African society.

The Conference also passed resolutions on benefits and HIV/AIDS. Finally the Conference committed the members, as metal workers, to fight tirelessly for all the demands and campaigns.

"We are not going to settle with the employers unless all the demands are fully met," they declared.

"We undertake in regard to the engineering sector to put forward demands that would stem the tide of job losses and proposals to alleviate the plight of the retrenched workers, poor and unemployed.

"We also undertake to go out to organise workshops, general meetings and workplace meetings to popularise the National Bargaining conference 2001's demands.

"We commit ourselves and the 200 000 members that 2001 is declared the Year of Struggle and Collective Bargaining in Unity and Solidarity."