By our own admission it is a disgrace that nurses are
still found in small pockets in about ten employee organisations. SADNU
is the union of nurses in the new millennium and is a home for all nurses.
So if you are a nurse, make the right decision – get on board and help
us as we jealously defend our democracy.
SAMWU is the biggest local government union in the country,
with about 120 000 members. The union has a militant tradition of fighting
privatisation and outsourcing, as well as winning demands for casual municipal
staff to be made permanent. The union organises in all municipalities
and water boards in the country.
The union also offers a worker-controlled provident fund,
a national funeral scheme, a national loan scheme, a worker-controlled
medical aid scheme and a worker-controlled savings and credit co-operative.
The union has a strike fund to assist workers who are forced to go on
strike.
The union bargains for wages centrally every year and
has won a minimum wage in the sector which currently stands at R1900 per
month. The union also has specialist service committees to deal with all
issues related to water and sanitation, electricity, libraries, health,
transport and housing. SAMWU organises in all municipalities, no matter
how big or how small.
The union services rural areas where there is only one
member! Community issues are close to the hearts of SAMWU members, as
we are the ones delivering the services to the people. That's why SAMWU
has long campaigned for a free lifeline level of services for all.
For example, SAMWU and the Rural Services Development
Network have campaigned for a minimum of 50 litres of water per person
per day free of charge. This campaign will continue until we win our demand!
The union has intervened in Parliament quite regularly
to make sure that new municipal laws protect workers and the community.
SAMWU was the driving force behind clauses in the Water
Services Act which blocks the way for multinationals to privatise.
SAMWU also forced the government to agree to clauses
in the Municipal Systems Act which say that decisions on service delivery
can only be taken once the community and organised labour has been consulted.
SAMWU opposes water cuts, electricity disconnections
and evictions and has resolved to set up community-worker forums, such
as the Anti-Privatisation Forums in Gauteng and Cape Town, in order to
fight for services for all.
You should join SAMWU if you work in any municipality
or waterboard.
President: Petrus Mashishi
1st Vice President:
Xolile Nxu
2nd Vice President:
vacant
Treasurer: Reggie Mabogoane
General Secretary:
Roger Ronnie
Deputy G S: Tom Ngobeni
Private Bag X 9, Athlone , 7760
Trade Union House
8 Beverly Street, Athlone
Cape Town
132 Market Street
Johannesburg
Tel: + 27 + 11 + 333-1582
+ 27 +
21 + 696-9175
Fax: + 27 + 11 + 333-2000
E-mail: samwu@wn.apc.org
Let our members speak for themselves on why you should
join Numsa:
Join now for professional help and guidance:
Proud to be called a NUMSA member. For a white young
girl of my age and especially with an Afrikaans culture, NUMSA was not
an option for me to join. But when help was offered, no colour, no skin
type or no culture was asked. No judgement was passed on me, just friendly
professional help was offered. My personal advice to any young employees,
no matter the culture or skin colour, is that NUMSA is where help can
be found in a difficult situation where no judgement is passed - only
people that are willing to guide you in a difficult situation. Many thanks
to a wonderful union and representatives.
Best regards, Michelle Strydom, Alrode Local, June 2001
Join now to earn respect and a better life! Becoming
a union member has forced employers to respect us
"Since I joined the union (Numsa), employers now
respect us," says Charles Ubisi, newly recruited Numsa member at
Armadillo Roller Doors in Kempton Park. "They don't say 'you are
stupid', like before," adds Richard Mashego, another newly recruited
Numsa member. For these two workers and fellow worker Adolph Mgiba, belonging
to a union is a new experience. None of them had trade unions in their
previous workplaces.
Once a week shop stewards hold a report back meeting
for all workers and update them on progress with regard to their issues
in the company. "Our next issue is to address the grading system
in the company," says shop steward Patrick Nkosi, "it seems
that at least 42 workers are paid below the minimum rates."
Jenny Grice NUMSA Publications Officer
President: Mthuthuzeli Tom
1st Vice President:Vincent Mabuyakhulu
2nd Vice President: Angie Moeng
Treasurer: Omar Gire
General Secretary: Silumko
Nondwangu
P O Box 260483
Excom 2023,Numsa Building
153 Bree Street (cnr Becker Street)
Newtown, Johannesburg
Tel: + 27 + 11 + 689-1700
Fax: + 27 + 11 + 833-6330
E-mail: www.numsa.org.za
The SA State and Allied Workers Union (SASAWU) was launched
on 14 July 2000 in Pretoria. It came from a merger of three unions – the
SA Public Service and Allied Workers Union (SAPSAWU), the Institute of
Public Servants (IPS) and the SA Health and Public Servants Workers Union
(SAHPSWU). It goes without saying that SASAWU organises in the public
sector. Our main focus is in the state administration, health and legal/judicial
services. SASAWU was formally accepted as an affiliate of COSATU at the
federation’s congress last year.
Barely a month after our merger, the union had its first
Strategy Formulation Workshop with the assistance of DITSELA, to identify
post-merger challenges and come up with strategies to overcome them.
Most of the post-merger challenges have already been
acted upon. Provincial Founding Congresses have been held. The vast majority
of workplaces where we have members have also elected their shop stewards.
The guiding principle was to be able to deliver a high quality service
to our members – after all, they are the reason for the union’s existence.
The first NEC meeting prioritised the Founding Congress
resolutions as mandated by the Congress. The NEC then decided to put service
to members at the top of its priority list for its term of office. It
is a well-established principle that unions represent their members in
a wide range of capacities, such as grievance, disciplinary and legal
proceedings.
In all of these areas the NEC prioritised the union’s
activities and allocated resources accordingly. While many unions these
days are fixated on providing benefits like loans and funeral cover, we
in SASAWU believe servicing of members should come first.
We work together with POPCRU at the Public Service Co-ordinating
Bargaining Council, in line with COSATU’s ideal super-union in the public
service, adding 19 000 members to POPCRU’s 67 000, making a whopping 86
000 vote weight.
Since inception our provinces have crystallised and adopted
our own recruitment campaigns dubbed:
