Taking COSATU Today Forward, 7 June 2022

[Norman Mampane]

 

COSATU TODAY #2022YearofWorkersParliament #YouthMonth #InternalDemocracy #WorkerControl  #EndChildLabour #Back2Basics #JoinCOSATUNow #ClassConsciousness

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, 7 June 2022

‘Deepen the Back to Basics Campaign, Consolidate the Struggle for the NDR and Advance the Struggle for Socialism’

All workers urged to take Covid19 vaccine jabs!

Organize at every workplace and demand Personal Protective Equipment Now!

Defend Jobs Now!

Join COSATU NOW!

 

Contents                      

• Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!

• Northam Platinum Holdings Limited (“Northam”) to intervene in the large merger proceedings before the Tribunal involving Impala Platinum Holdings Limited ("Implats") and Royal Bafokeng Platinum Limited ("RBPlat").
• Hazardous Biological Agents Regulations

• South Africa

• Transnet Wage/Salary Negotiations Update
• SATAWU calls on Transport Minister to act on train collisions

• International-Workers’ Solidarity!

• WFTU Solidarity Statement with the RMT
• 4 June: Tiananmen Square massacre candlelight vigil

Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics 

Hearing Alert Date of Release: 7 June 2022      Northam Platinum Holdings Ltd And Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd; Royal Bafokeng Platinum Ltd; Competition Commission; and The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition

The intervention application will be heard online (Microsoft Teams) as follows:                       Date:             Wednesday 8 June, 2022 Time:            11h00 SAST   Those wishing to follow the online proceedings are requested to contact the Tribunal’s Communications Officer (contact details below) for the online hearing link   This is an application by Northam Platinum Holdings Limited (“Northam”) to intervene in the large merger proceedings before the Tribunal involving Impala Platinum Holdings Limited ("Implats") and Royal Bafokeng Platinum Limited ("RBPlat").   Northam seeks leave to intervene in the merger proceedings on the basis that it can contribute to the Tribunal’s determination of, among others, the following issues: whether or not the proposed merger is likely to substantively prevent or lessen competition; whether the proposed merger can or cannot be justified on substantial public interest grounds; and any conditions recommended by the Commission, proposed by the merger parties and/or considered by the Tribunal. Both Implats and RBPlat are opposing the intervention application.   In terms of the Competition Act, the Tribunal can use its discretion to permit intervention where an applicant (i) has a material and substantial interest in the proposed merger; and (ii) would be able to assist the Tribunal in its consideration of the merger.   The Competition Commission, which investigates large mergers before referring such to the Tribunal for a decision, recommended to the Tribunal that the transaction be approved with proposed conditions and is abiding by the Tribunal’s decision in respect of the intervention application.   Issued by: Gillian de Gouveia, Communications Officer On behalf of the Competition Tribunal of South Africa Tel: +27 (0) 12 394 1383 Cell: +27 (0) 82 410 1195 E-Mail: Gill...@comptrib.co.za Twitter: @comptrib

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Hazardous Biological Agents Regulations

 

https://www.labour.gov.za/DocumentCenter/Regulations%20and%20Notices/Notices/Occupational%20Health%20and%20Safety/Hazardous%20Biological%20Agents%202022.pdf

South Africa

Transnet Wage/Salary Negotiations Update

Jack Mazibuko, SATAWU General Secretary, 01st June 2022

The South African Transport and Allied Workers (SATAWU) and UNTU (United National Transport Union) met with Transnet Management for the second round of salary negotiations today, the 01st June 2022 at the Transnet National Bargaining Council (TNBC) , after critical, prudent and carefully weighed discussions, organised labour had the following consolidated demands:

1. Increase of 13.5% (ATB)

2. No retrenchments

3. 3 – Year agreement (dependent on holistic agreement)

4. Nightshift allowance increase to R15 p.h

5. Standby allowance increase from R6.50 to R10 p.h

6. Acting allowance to increase from 7% to 10% of current hourly rate and applicable from 1st hour of acting in a higher position

7. Housing allowance to increase to R2500

8. Medical Aid to increase to R2500

9. Low–income medical aid must be fast-tracked and deadlines for conclusion must be determined

10. Backpay from 01st April 2022, irrespective of the date of the agreement reached

11.Third Party deductions (e.g life policy) to be administrated by payroll

12. Overtime cap to be removed

However, the employer proposed the following:

1. Three–year wage agreement

• Advance the management and union engagement agenda from annual, wage bargaining to engagement on key business objectives, initiatives and targets to drive a high-performance profit-centric culture.

• Provides certainty with labour cost budgeting for years 2 and 3

• Labour bill upliftment cost can be factored into tariff increases

• Provides certainty to employees in terms of the expected increases for three years • Ensures labour peace whilst allowing Transnet to focus on the business turnaround

2.

year 1: 1.0% - paid as follows:

A – Increase in pensionable salary; or

B – Paid as a non-pensionable monthly allowance

• For year 2: 2.0% - paid as option A or B above

• For year 3: 2,5% - paid as option A or B above

3. Housing allowance, medical subsidy, stand-by and nightshift allowance will remain unchanged.

4. Reduction in the leave cycle from 27 to 18 months.

5. Streamline variation agreements to only focus on operations related matters, policy-related matters to be discussed outside of variation agreements and be transversal.

6. Forced retrenchments remain a consideration by Transnet in the 2022/23 financial year.

Transnet supports the principle of employment retention as far as possible in this difficult economy. However, the company needs the cooperation of Labour to ensure that the company becomes sustainable and profitable.

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) will constantly update the workers on new developments concerning the process in question to revise and receive updated mandates from the organised labour constituency.

𝑰𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑺𝑨𝑻𝑨𝑾𝑼

𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑪𝒅𝒆 𝑱𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑴𝒂𝒛𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒌𝒐 : 082 660 4793

𝑫𝒆𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑪𝒅𝒆 𝑨𝒏𝒆𝒍𝒆 𝑲𝒊𝒆𝒕 : 071 021 1903

𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝑶𝒇 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑨𝒎𝒏𝒂𝒅𝒂 𝑻𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔𝒆 : 062 945 7217

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SATAWU calls on Transport Minister to act on train collisions

Jack Mazibuko, SATAWU General Secretary, 31 May 2022

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) is concerned about the recent Metrorail Train collisions. It is every worrying and unfortunate that yesterday thousands of Workers and Commuters were left stranded between Muizenberg and Fish Hoek

in the Western Cape, following a collision with a car.

SATAWU calls on Minister of Transport, Mr Fikile Mbalula to take these incidents very serious. We are of the view, that Minister Mbalula needs to do thorough investigations and

he must act swiftly. In January this year two Metrorail trains collided in Mabobane outside Pretoria, leaving thousands of our Workers and Commuters stranded as they rely on it as their daily transport, to and from their work destinations following a technical fault. The safety of our Workers, Commuters and Staff is our priority. SATAWU wants to reassure its people that we are committed in serving our people with respect, convenience, safe and secure environment.

The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) is also deeply concerned and devastated of the cable theft taking place in Train stations throughout the country, leading to poor service in the Train Sector. We call on our communities to report such criminality to law enforcement agencies so we

can have efficient, safe and reliable trains in our country.

Issued by SATAWU

General Secretary Cde Jack Mazibuko : 082 660 4793

Deputy Secretary General Cde Anele Kiet : 071 021 1903

Head Of Communications Amanda Tshemese : 062 945 7217

International-Solidarity 

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WFTU Solidarity Statement with the RMT

06 Jun 2022

 

The World Federation of Trade Unions, representing 110 million members in 130 countries, is expressing its support for the strike action of the British train cleaners of the Churchill company, after the call of the powerful British Union RMT.

In Britain as in the rest of the world, the health crisis we have gone through has demonstrated the social importance of cleaning workers; however these workers are still in poorly paid jobs and despised by employers, who deny them collective guarantees as well as high level and worthy salaries!

The WFTU supports and encourages your struggle to defend your rights and conquer new ones: Justice for cleaners!!!

WFTU Central Offices

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4 June: Tiananmen Square massacre candlelight vigil

4 June 2022 Brooks AFP

With the human rights of the people of Hong Kong under sustained attack by the Chinese Communist Party, it is more important than even to mark the anniversary of the massacre in Tiananmen Square.

Between 15 April and 4 June 1989, peaceful protestors took to the streets in Beijing, and other cities, to demand political and democratic reforms. The main demonstration in Tiananmen Square was violently ended by the Chinese army with countless numbers of people killed and arrested.

Since then a candlelight vigil has been held in Hong Kong to remember the victims, but the authorities banned the event in 2020. In 2021, union leader Lee Cheuk Yan, along with seven others, was sentenced to 14 months in prison for “inciting, organising and participating” in the candlelight vigil on the 4th of June 2020.

‘The light will not go out’

ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow said: “We must keep the memory of these events alive and show our solidarity to help keep the light of democracy burning in Hong Kong.

“The international trade union movement stands with everyone there fighting for democracy and demanding respect for their most basic human rights.

“The authorities in Beijing behind this repression need to realise that the light of democracy in Hong Kong will not go out. The desire of the people to have a voice and be heard will not be extinguished.

“We call on the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities to cease prosecutions and intimidation of trade unionists and advocates for fundamental freedoms, to release those who have been imprisoned and repeal the so-called ‘national security’ law.”

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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

 

 

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