Taking COSATU Today Forward, 14 September 2021
Norman Mampane
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Taking COSATU Today Forward
‘Whoever sides with the revolutionary people in deed as well as in word is a revolutionary in the full sense’-Maoo
Our side of the story
Tuesday, 14 September 2021
‘Deepen
the Back to Basics Campaign, Consolidate the Struggle for the NDR and Advance the Struggle for Socialism’
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Contents
o Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
Ø South African Post Office Workers Lives Matter
o South Africa
Ø Public Service and Administration on non-pensionable cash allowance
o International-Workers’ Solidarity!
Ø Workers call for solutions after DOW announces plant closure in Argentina
Workers’ Parliament-#Back2Basics
South African Post Office Workers Lives Matter
Aubrey Tshabalala, CWU General Secretary, 14 SEPTEMBER 2021
Communication Workers Union (CWU) is saddened by the brutal murder of a South African Post Office worker in Sebokeng Post Office (Retail Office) which transpired last week Thursday on the 9th of September 2021.
A 34 year old man; Isaiah Motsapi who was a teller in the Post Office was shot dead at the robbery where R200 000 was allegedly stolen.
It is reported that the cold blooded murder incident happened when an alleged group of heavily armed men came in to rob the retail office. These types of burglaries in the South African Post Office have been on the rise and workers have been at the receiving end.
In a number of occasions, workers have been assaulted, their personal belongings have been stolen such as cell phones, money and accessory items.
It appears that criminals target Post Office because of the lump sum of money that is delivered to SAPO in order to facilitate payments of social grants. The union has always raised a red flag to the Post Office board and to the State, that the delivery of money poses dangers to grant beneficiaries and to workers.
It does not make business sense for the money to be delivered on the day of the payments, since Post Office; as it is an agency, will not even get some interest on the money as part of the revenue.
Furthermore, it inconveniences recipients of the grants not to utilise their Post Bank/SAPO cards to withdraw at their convenient time in any retail.
At times, the social grants earners have been turned back due to insufficient funds and that causes the beneficiaries to be irate.
This practice is not to the benefit of anyone and no sound explanation has been given coming from the Treasury or the Department.
We are calling for improvement in the provision of security measures; both for the workers and for the beneficiaries of social grants. In addition, we believe that the Motsapi family has to be adequately compensated.
Our members and workers in general can no longer afford to come to work in fear of being robbed, threatened, assaulted or murdered.
The end
Issued by the office of the General Secretary CWU
South Africa
Public Service and Administration on non-pensionable cash allowance
13 Sep 2021
Implementation of PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2021: Non-pensionable cash allowance
The Director-General of the Department of Public Service and Administration, Ms Yoliswa Makhasi, takes this opportunity to thank public servants for their patience during the process to implement the non-pensionable cash allowance provided for in PSCBC Resolution 1 of 2021.
The Department of Public Service and Administration hereby confirms that employees will receive the allowance, including back pay to April 2021, on 16 September 2021.
For members of the South African Police Service, the non-pensionable cash allowance will be paid by no later than 20 September 2021.
It should be noted that the Department of Public Service and Administration is also still busy with the implementation of the non-pensionable cash allowance for part-time employees. This will be finalized as soon as possible.
The date for the implementation of the 1.5% pensionable increase which was also provided for in the Resolution 1 of 2021, will be announced soon. .
The Director-General wishes to thank public servants for the services that they continue to render and in making a difference in the lives of citizens, especially the poorest of the poor, in the middle of Covid-19 pandemic.
Issued by: Department of Public Service and Administration
International-Solidarity
Workers call for solutions after DOW announces plant closure in Argentina
13 September, 2021
Multinational DOW intends to close its only plant producing polyurethane in Argentina by May 2022. The shutdown will lead to the loss of 120 jobs at the factory and hundreds more indirectly.
Once the plant in Puerto General San Martín, Argentina, is closed, DOW will supply the whole of South America from its factory in Brazil. The multinational says that the decision has nothing to do with the economic crisis – the factory is a success, turns a profit and plays a key role in the country's economy. The firm's move is part of a global restructuring affecting factories in other countries as well.
After the shutdown was announced, the San Lorenzo General Workers’ Union (CGT) expressed its support for the SOEPU union of petrochemicals workers at DOW and said that it was ready to take action. The unions are calling for a dialogue in order to find a solution and intend to exhaust all possible avenues for negotiation.
"The CGT stands ready to help the union and is prepared to take any regional measures necessary,"
said Jesús Monzón, CGT's general secretary.
DOW has been reluctant to negotiate and intends to lay off the workers and shut down the factory. It would appear that DOW wants to maintain its monopoly and control over prices and is not prepared to negotiate with a potential competitor.
After a press conference at the San Lorenzo CGT headquarters, Mauricio Brizuela, SOEPU's secretary general, said:
"We want the plant will be declared a public utility, and we will keep campaigning if DOW doesn’t come up with a solution."
The workers want to keep their jobs and are calling for other companies to take over the running of the factory. Several companies have come forward and said that they would like to keep the factory running, like Petroquímica Río Tercero, part of the Piero Group producing related products. Some mattress producers have also shown interest.
Tom Grinter, director of chemicals and pharmaceuticals, pulp and paper, and rubber industries at IndustriALL, said:
"The SOEPU union at DOW is a key component of the international network of DOW and Du Pont unions. The network, which is run by USW, has the full support of IndustriALL Global Union. We stand firmly with our friends as they fight to keep the factory open."
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Norman Mampane (Shopsteward Editor)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
110 Jorissen Cnr Simmonds Street, Braamfontein, 2017
P.O.Box 1019, Johannesburg, 2000, South Africa
Tel: +27 11 339-4911 Direct line: 010 219-1348