Taking COSATU Today Forward, 23 May 2024 #VoteANC
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY #COSATU has deployed its National Leaders and CEC members across Gauteng to mobilize workers and their families to #VoteANC on May 9 #PoliticalStruggle #ElijahBarayiBrigades #VoteANC #ClassStruggle “Building a strong and united COSATU in mobilizing for the ANC electoral victory” #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
23 May 2024
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- COSATU Free State condemns the shooting of an off-duty doctor and calls for the safety of healthcare workers
- DENOSA Gauteng to remember fallen nurses of Boksburg's Gas Tanker Explosion at its Nurses Day Event at Tambo Memorial Hospital on Thursday, 23 May
- South Africa
- Media Alert: Journalists are invited to apply for media accreditation for International Workers' Day rallies across all nine provinces
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- IndustriALL women’s committee meeting calls for inclusivity
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
COSATU Free State condemns the shooting of an off-duty doctor and calls for the safety of healthcare workers
Monyatso Mahlatsi, COSATU Free State Provincial Secretary, 23 May 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the Free State together with the South African Medical Trade Union(SAMATU) strongly condemns the growing violence directed at healthcare workers.
According to the Department of Health spokesperson, the off-duty medical officer was attacked and shot whilst at the official residence within the hospital premises. This incident has left the Federation cold and has revived the age-old discussion about the urgent need to improve the safety and security of healthcare workers in hospitals. It is also not the first of such incidents at public heath institutions.
Whist we appreciate the immediate steps taken to appoint a private security company; it is deeply concerning that the Department of Health (DOH) chose to appoint a controversial private security company. This ill-conceived decision may encourage young and aspirant healthcare workers to dedicate their time to our public health care system. We therefore call upon the state to ensure the general safety and security of healthcare workers and public sector workers in general.
The advent of the National Health Insurance enforces the security of staff within the premises as a priority! As the Federation we will fight tooth and nail to ensure that such is prioritized now that the NHI Bill has been signed into an Act of Parliament.
We wish the young medical officer a speedy, full, and permanent recovery and hope that this incident would not deter him from continuing to serve our nation!
The DOH must attend to the immediate emotional wellbeing of the colleagues of the doctor who was injured. Alternative accommodation should also be arranged whilst they receive emotional support.
The struggle continues!
Issued by COSATU Free State
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DENOSA Gauteng to remember fallen nurses of Boksburg's Gas Tanker Explosion at its Nurses Day Event at Tambo Memorial Hospital on Thursday, 23 May
Sibongiseni Delihlazo, DENOSA Communication Manager, 21 MAY 2024
JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) in Gauteng, together with the Gauteng Department of Health, will remember the fallen nurses of the December 2022 fuel truck explosion which affected Boksburg's Tambo Memorial Hospital when Gauteng hosts the International Nurses Day commemoration event at the Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg on Thursday, 23 May 2024.
DENOSA national leaders, led by President Simon Hlungwani, and the MEC of Health in Gauteng, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, will lead the nurses in the day of remembrance of what is still a tough incident to accept for the families amd colleagues of the deceased healthcare workers.
Forty-one people lost their lives, including 11 nurses and a driver at Tambo Memorial Hospital, when the gas tanker exploded when it got stuck under a low bridge on 24 December 2022.
The explosion caused a huge structural damage to the hospital’s accident, emergency and X-ray departments.
This year's International Nurses Day event for Gauteng will be dedicated to the victims of this accident. This year's theme for the International Nurses Day is: Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care.
Members of the media are invited to the commemoration and International Nurses Day event, whose details are as follows:
DATE: Thursday, 23 May 2024.
TIME: 09h00
VENUE: Tambo Memorial Hospital, Boksburg.
MEDIA CONTACT: Bongani Mazibuko, DENOSA Gauteng Provincial Secretary.
MOBILE: 072 620 8806.
End.
Issued by DENOSA in Gauteng.
COSATU Free State wishes the ANC Free State well in the coming general elections
Monyatso Mahlatsi, COSATU Free State Provincial Secretary, 23 May 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) in the Free State has been monitoring the election campaign of our Alliance partner, the African National Congress (ANC) in the province.
We have also been strong participants in most of the campaigns, formally as the Federation and informally as members of the ANC in our own rights as workers.
The current elections arrived amidst a myriad of difficulties, most of which are located within the local government sphere, ranging from the conduct of the deployees of the ANC in positions of power to the non-payment or late payments of salaries of workers in various municipalities. To a greater extent, some of the challenges are structural and a long-term solution is required for the sustainability of affected municipalities. We shall implore on the new administration to exert more effort into finding a lasting solution.
The Federation acknowledges that the ANC is not a perfect organization. It has its flaws like any other organization. However, it has also accomplished great gains. The positive achievements are amplified when all the noise unleashed by the anti-revolutionaries and political mercenaries have quietened down. The gains which workers have made under the leadership of the ANC speak for themselves.
Equally, we acknowledge the challenges which our country and our continent faces, from individuals who are yearning for the failure of all African states, who continue to access our raw materials at the lowest possible prices for the benefit of their people at our expense. This situation has led to our economy facing inexplicable difficulties as a result.
As workers, we understand the purpose of our struggle which is meant to achieve a society where people will not be treated based on the material possessions but rather based on their contribution to the society. Our struggle aspires to achieve equality, justice, and decent jobs through full employment.
We have made an assessment on the history and/or the composition of the parties that are contesting the elections and have realized that the ANC remains the only organization that can assist the Federation to drive its mandate. Most of these organizations are sponsored to pursue anti-workers agenda, such as the Moonshot Pact.
We acknowledge the massive campaign that the ANC has undertaken in the province. Given the current onslaught by the media, both social and formal, it has been important that the real story about the performance of the ANC be explained. The current campaigns have gone a long way in achieving such and many of our community members and workers understand the real picture.
The ANC has done a lot for our country, though there have been weaknesses.
This is the story that has been deliberately concealed from our communities whilst the opposite has been consistently flighted in media. Much has been done and more still needs to be done because the needs of society remain dynamic based on the developments in their personal spaces.
COSATU Free State congratulates the ANC in the province for running an effective campaign. COSATU structures appreciate the efforts that have been employed towards the campaign and wish the ANC well in the forthcoming general elections.
We also acknowledge the role played by the SACP Free State as well as the energy displayed by the newly elected SANCO structures across the province.
We call upon all workers, families, friends, neighbours, and our acquaintances to go in large numbers and support the ANC on the 29th of May 2024 including those who have applied for special votes on 27th and 28th May 2024! Together we can do more!
The struggle continues!
Issued by COSATU Free State
International-Solidarity
IndustriALL women’s committee meeting calls for inclusivity
23 May, 2024
Gender equality achievements, the impact of AI on women workers and strengthening young women’s participation and representation in IndustriALL were agenda items at IndustriALL’s women committee meeting in Geneva on 21 May.
In his opening address IndustriALL general secretary, Atle Høie, emphasized the importance of the implementation, training and understanding of IndustriALL’s policy on GBVH, misgogyny and sexism.
“Women play an important role in our fight for democracy and societal development. Your discussions here today should influence the direction of our organization. It’s not only important to make sure that we mitigate the negative impacts of any global developments, but also make sure it has a positive influence on our movement. My role here today is to listen to you and take your recommendations to the excutive committee meeting,”
said Atle Høie.
Christina Olivier, IndustriALL assistant general secretary, highlighted achievements for women, like IndustriALL’s first female president, countries ratifying ILO Convention 190, extended parental leave and new pay equity legislation.
“Despite this great progress, gender equality remains a challenge, women workers continue to face discrimination and unequal power relations and more needs to be done to address the persistent gender gaps,”
said Christina Olivier.
Amid a general agreement that the road ahead is long, women leaders from Australia and Brazil shared their success on trade union campaigns that address the gender pay gap.
Australia’s new legislation on extended Paid Parental Leave (PPL) for families means that parental leave will increase from 20 weeks to 26 weeks.
In Brazil, new legislation guaranteeing equal pay for men and women sets out measures to promote and implement diversity and inclusion programmes in the workplace. It
also requires companies with 100 or more employees to provide transparent half-yearly reports on pay and remuneration criteria.
Discussions on AI revealed that fewer women, globally, worked in AI and that women are often not part of the workforce developing these systems. The women’s committee concluded that a gender transformative approach is necessary. Together with the gender equality
task force, the women’s committee will develop policies and guidelines ensuring the inclusion of women.
“All policies must be gender transformative. When it comes to AI, IndustriALL and affiliates need to be part of debates and work on regulations and policies prohibiting abuse that will further disadvantage women. Trade unions should influence the development of AI and ensure that the technology is used to narrow gender equality gaps and other forms of discrimination,”
said Armelle Seby, IndustriALL gender director.
A way to address the gender pay gap is through collective bargaining. Maike Niggermann from IndustriALL European Trade Union shared details on a project called bargaining for equality. She presented examples on how unions include gender clauses in agreements
to close gender gaps, ensuring that every agreement has at least one equality objective, high fines to employers who fail to act when it comes to sexual harassment and paid leave for GBVH victims.
Menopause has a significant impact on the world of work as women risk being excluded from the workforce due to their symptoms. Alison Spencer shared how Unite the Union focused on menapausal education for the workforce and how small adjustments can ensure women’s
inclusion, like opening windows, flexibility in shifts, allowing women more breaks, and that existing health and safety legislation could assist with these adjustments, like breathable PPE.
In order for unions to stay relevant and grow it is essential that young women workers be included in these kinds of platforms. Youth representatives Maria Bange from Tanzania Union of Industrial and Commercial Workers (TUICO), Laya Borjal Ferrer from Associated
Labour Unions (ALU-TUCP) in Philippeans, and Agnes Ama Agamasu from Ghana Mineworkers shared their experiences as young women workers and leaders in their unions, indicating that it is challenging but with the support of strong women mentors at IndustriALL
they have been able to develop in their unions, participate in structures, and see changes.
“This women’s committee meeting was productive. It is important for us to discuss and strategize on issues that affect us women. We need these platforms to raise topics like menopause, AI and collective bargaining. If we don’t work on strategies we will be left behind, the struggle for gender equality and women rights never end. The fight must continue,”
said Ilvana Smajlovic IndustriALL women’s committee co-chair.
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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