Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin, 27 Jan 2015
Norman Mampane
Taking COSATU Today Forward Special Bulletin
‘Whoever sides with the revolutionary people in deed as well as in word is a revolutionary in the full sense’-Mao
Our side of the story
Tuesday 27 Jan 2015
‘Strengthen COSATU for total emancipation.....The Struggle continues’
Contents
Workers Parliament
Ø Outcomes of the DENOSA 7th National Congress
South Africa
Ø COSATU WC outraged at White on Black violence and murder in Western Cape
Ø YCLSA mourns passing away of Cde Jackie Selebie
International
Ø Unions mobilize globally for workers’ rights at Holcim Lafarge
Ø Tens of thousands of Indian dockers join protest
Workers’ Parliament! #MinimumWages
Outcomes of the DENOSA 7th National Congress
Simon Hlungwani, DENOSA President, 26 January 2015
"We are not prepared to tolerate the dysfunctional health services due to chronic shortage of staff and unfavourable working environment!"
The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) reconvened its 7th National Congress from 22 to 24 January at Birchwood Hotel in Boksburg, which it had adjourned on 1 November 2014.
The congress, which was attended by over 590 delegates, and 547 voting delegates, deliberated robustly on a number of pertinent issues concerning the organisation and the profession. It deliberated and resolved on seven pillars that affect the functioning of the organisation under Political, organisational, Gender, Socio-economic, International, Nursing Profession and Constitutional commissions.
The congress called on all its members and all working people to support its Call of Action as the nurses of South Africa have spoken and DENOSA, their organisation, has listened. It acknowledged that COSATU is faced with internal battles that resulted to the formation of new unions and other political and or social movements.
The congress made declarations and pronounced on the following key points:
The congress has reaffirmed DENOSA’s affiliation to COSATU and called for unity in COSATU. The congress further reaffirmed its support of the ruling party, ANC, in the upcoming Local Government Elections in 2016. The congress declared that nurses are not prepared to tolerate the dysfunctional health services due to chronic shortage of staff and unfavourable working environment! Nurses are demanding the decent remuneration of nurses as they are the BACKBONE of healthcare system! Nurses are not being fairly paid for the valuable service they provide!
The congress resolved on the following:
On Nursing Matters
The congress called on South African Nursing Council (SANC), as a regulatory body for nursing and an accreditation institution to close down the bogus nursing colleges with immediate effect, as their flourishing negatively affects the profession. These bogus institutions produce people that are not registerable with the South African Nursing Council and thus cannot be employed to work as nurses.
The congress also resolved on the following:
• The new nursing curriculum must be postponed due to lack of readiness for its implementation.
• To engage SANC on CPD Point System for more clarity. For the time being, the implementation of CPD point system must be postponed until clarity is sought.
• SANC must decentralize offices to provincial levels, and not only be based at head office in Pretoria.
• SANC must explain the rationale of increasing the annual licensing fees, and must consult nurses broadly before implementing the increase in annual fees.
• Financial statement of SANC must be made known to nurses.
• SANC must regulate the tutor-learner ratio to improve the quality of nursing education.
• SANC must be involved in improving the working conditions of nurses in the country.
• Clinical Facilitators must be appointed with immediate effect to improve the quality of nursing education.
• SANC must do the inspection of the training institutions and hospitals as required by the Nursing Act.
• Nurses must improve the image of nursing by dressing properly, and wearing neat uniform.
• SANC must be involved in the student accommodation crisis and the training facilities.
• DENOSA must lobby for a progressive Registrar at SANC for the next term of office in the Council.
• Midwifery must not be a prerequisite in doing unrelated post-basic diploma.
• The Nursing Strategy must be implemented with immediate effect.
On Socio-Economic Matters:
The congress called on shortage of nurse educators and staff in the hospitals to be addressed with immediate effect as it adversely affects the nursing education and health services respectively. The congress also resolved that:
• Students must receive equal uniform allowance as the nurses in full employment.
• DENOSA must take a strong position on payment of acting allowance to nurses.
• The salaries of nurses must be reviewed based on valuable work they do in the health sector.
• There must be a campaign to pursue the nurse-to-patient ratio, as nurses take care of far too many patients at facilities due largely to a slow pace in hiring new nurses.
• There must be an establishment of a task team on nurses’ uniform.
• Access the pension fund to alleviate poverty in government employees. The funding model of student nurses must be PERSAL/salary system and not the bursary system. The latter has created a plethora of problems for students, the majority of whom come from poor families.
On Gender Matters:
The congress resolved on developing a layer of women leadership in order to be effective in their leadership roles. Support the vulnerable groups, the female nurses in general and female students in particular against gender violence.
DENOSA constitution on gender representation must be practiced in all structures of the organization so that gender balance is reflected. Other resolutions are the following:
• Condemn the discrimination of homosexuality in both society and leadership structures of the organization. To this end we reaffirm the COSATU campaign on condemning discrimination against homosexuality.
• Call for the tightening of security at facilities by provision of competent security personnel as nurses often fall victims of violence.
On Political/COSATU Matters:
The congress supports COSATU campaign in total burn of E-Tolls and the labour brokers and rejects the Youth Wage Subsidy as it is not addressing the youth unemployment but creates exploitation of youth by the employers. The congress undertook that the organisation ensures the implementation of NHI to improve the health services to the people. Other resolutions are that:
• NUMSA must be reinstated back to COSATU in realizing 2015 plan of uniting workers and reaching the 4 million membership.
• COSATU must call a special national congress by April 2015.
• DENOSA rejects any plans by anyone to block or frustrate the holding of the COSATU Special National Congress. Such plans fly in the face of the November 2014 CEC processes which are aimed at resolving the current impasse within COSATU.
• DENOSA rejects and disassociates itself from the formation of SAPSU and United Front.
• Affiliation of LIMUSA to COSATU must be rejected.
• Call on SACP to play the role of being a vanguard of the working class and play a reconciliatory role in the federation. The party must refrain from playing the dividing role in the labour movement.
• The alliance must be a political centre, not the ANC.
On International Matters:
The congress affirmed that DENOSA must support the “Free Palestine” Campaign by boycotting products from Israel. Support the#BringBackOurGirls campaign in Nigeria.
It also called on the state to tighten all the entry points such as borders and ports to control diseases i.e. Ebola, Malaria and other infectious diseases. DENOSA supports the struggle of workers and other social ills across the borders of SA such as Swaziland, Mozambique and other SADC countries. DENOSA supports the Global Green Economy. DENOSA will Continue to support the regional (SADC) nursing organisations and associations, and to support nursing organisations and nurses in the hard-hit and war-torn areas in the continent.
Ends
Issued by the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA)
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SACSIS and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung South Africa Office
(FES) invite you to a high-level panel discussion on the topic:
How Does the Media Cover the Race Debate
in South Africa?
Racial prejudice didn’t disappear when apartheid ended in South
Africa and racism remains an endemic problem in this country,
if not globally. But as South Africans come to terms with the
reality of a post-apartheid country where racial equality remains
a distant goal, are we engaging in sufficient social dialogue to
overcome the problem?
Vital to healthy social dialogue about racism in South Africa is the
question of how our media reflects the issue. SACSIS and FES
invite you to a panel discussion where some of South Africa’s
most distinguishable public figures and media representatives will
engage with the issue of how our media covers the race debate
in South Africa.
Panelists
Eusebius McKaiser
Writer and Political Analyst
Ferial Haffajee
Editor-in-Chief, City Press
John Perlman
Radio Presenter, Kaya FM
Xolela Mangcu
Associate Professor, University of Cape Town
Date
Monday, 2 February 2015
Time
Registration at 13h30
Main programme from 14h00 to 16h30
Venue
The Wits Club, West Campus Wits University, Johannesburg
RSVP: To book a seat at this event simply reply to this email
invitation or send an email with your name, affiliation and contact
details to in...@sacsis.org.za with "RSVP media and racism
panel" in the subject line of your email message. Please book
early to avoid disappointment.
For more information, please visit our events page.
This event is co-hosted by The South African Civil Society Information Service and the
Friedrich Ebert Stiftung South Africa Office.
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South Africa #BackToSchool
COSATU WC outraged at White on Black violence and murder in Western Cape
Tony Ehrenreich, COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretary, 26 January 2015
COSATU in Western Cape sends its condolences to the family of the young man who was shot dead at a Garage over the weekend.
This adds to the increasing number of attacks by on Blacks by Whites in the Western Cape. The fact that this Province has a greater amount of racial attacks must be investigated and stopped.
It is clear that there is something happening in the Western Cape that is fuelling this propensity of Whites to think they can act with impunity against non-White citizens. The manner in which the political leaders of the City and the Province act, by preferencing Whites in all areas of service delivery is contributing to this sense of entitlement that Whites have. Whites are increasingly intolerant of Blacks in their surroundings, showing disdain in a number of ways.
The feature of this political leadership is fuelling the “Zillephobia” that was launched by Zille refugee slur and her constant reference that Blacks are stealing the higher paid jobs of Whites, because the Blacks are not fit for those jobs. Read her fit for purpose or wit for purpose claims of appointment in the City and Province. This was clearly an obviously racist act given the fact that she employed the Whitey Donald Grant to head Education, when by his own admission he knew nothing about education and is manifestly slow.
This ‘Zillephobia’ is now also fuelling the race attacks that sees the White oaf shoot the poor young man at the Garage. Zille must be investigated by the Public Protector and ordered to stop mouthing her racist statements which are designed to defend the apartheid generational advantage of White people. For a leader to act in this manner, with impunity is unacceptable and if it is not stopped then we are going to take things into our own hands to deal with these racist attacks which is just a manifestation of White arrogance in the Western Cape .
- See more at: http://www.cosatu.org.za/show.php?ID=9945#sthash.2Gk1Zmqv.dpuf
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YCLSA mourns passing away of Cde Jackie Selebie
Khaya Xaba, YCLSA National Spokesperson, 26 Jan 2015
The Young Communist League of South Africa [uFasimba] has learned with shock the passing away of former African National Congress Youth League [ANCYL] President and former National Police Commissioner, Cde Jackie Selebie.
As the YCLSA we mourn the passing away of this gallant fighter and son of the soil. Like other leaders of the ANCYL like Nelson Mandela, Anton Lembede and Mxolisi Majombozi he will forever be remember as a member of a generation of young people who took it upon themselves to fight the apartheid regime and build a better life for all our people in South Africa.
Cde Selebie’s immense contribution to the demise of the apartheid regime is the reason why we as South Africans enjoy the freedoms we enjoy today. His contribution to the liberation of blacks from the shackles minority rule will forever be etched in our memories. He will forever be remembered for his selfless and unassuming character.
We send our deepest condolences to his family, friends and all those who are robbed by his passing away. As uFasimba we say “Lala ngoxolo qabane, uyidlalile indima yakho”
Issued by YCLSA Media
International
Unions mobilize globally for workers’ rights at Holcim Lafarge
IndustriALL, 26 Jan 2015
Last week, on 15 January Lafarge and Holcim workers and their supporters in 30 countries organized a series of actions as part of a global campaign launched by the Building and Wood Workers International (BWI), European Federation of Building and Woodworkers (EFBWW) and IndustriALL Global Union.
On this day the message of “No merger without workers’ rights!” resonated globally. The campaign is in response to the failure of the two largest cement companies in the world to engage with trade unions on the effects of the merger on workers.
Over 7,000 protest messages with workers’ demands have already been delivered to the leadership of both companies through the web-based resource LabourStart. More electronic petitions in support of workers’ demands to the leadership of Lafarge and Holcim can be sent via www.labourstart.org/go/nomerger.
A number of trade unions in Brazil, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Uganda, and Zimbabwe used the opportunity of the global action day to outreach to workers at the various cement plants operated by Lafarge and Holcim. Union leaders distributed flyers and explained the implications of the merger on the workers’ future.
In Colombia, France, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon, Nigeria, Philippines, and Romania unions mobilized workers and conducted pickets and rallies in front of the Lafarge and Holcim plants. Following these actions, some of the unions held work stoppages surprising the company management.
Press conferences were organized by unions in Egypt, Nigeria, Mauritania, and Serbia resulting in significant national press coverage. Other countries where actions took place include Cambodia, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, Switzerland and Thailand.
The strong global mobilizations are indicative of the anger and frustration of the workers and trade unions at Lafarge and Holcim plants in being side-lined and not consulted throughout the entire merger process,”
stated Ambet Yuson, General Secretary of BWI.
Workers are demanding respect and the first step would be for the Holcim and Lafarge management to include workers and trade unions as the merger moves forward.”
Jyrki Raina, general secretary of IndustriALL Global Union commented,
We fully support the workers’ demands on guaranteeing the respect of existing collective agreements, and the conditions of workers in parts of the business that will be sold off, as wel as maintaining global level social dialogue and a framework agreement.”
The three unions will continue to coordinate further actions untiltheir key demands
are met by the Lafarge and Holcim.
______
Tens of thousands of Indian dockers join protest
ITF, 26 Jan 2015
Level of trans-Atlantic investment shows ISDS is not necessary
The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), 26 Jan 2015
The ETUC also stressed the need for trade agreements, including TTIP, to
· Include a strong and enforceable labour chapter to ensure workers’ and trade union rights
· Clearly exclude public services
The ETUC also told Commissioner Malmström that it
· Had not opposed the Free Trade Agreement with Korea partly because it did NOT include ISDS
Announcements
Enabling COSATU Members to Tweet Effectively
NB: @cosatu2015 has been revamped and now it’s @COSATU2015_
Introduction to COSATU Official Twitter Accounts
Ø @COSATU2015_
Official tweets on current affairs, ideological disposition and for a Question & Answer platform
Ø @COSATU TODAY @_cosatu
Seconds- COSATU roving official tweets on events, quotable sound-bites on speeches/interviews, newsflash etc.
How to Register a COSATU Member Twitter Account
Ø Go Google and type twitter/sign up
Ø Versions of name/surname must be completed
Ø Choose a username/password and don’t forget them
Ø Update your profile; picture, bio
o Picture size should be 700k
o Bio-short narrative who you are
Ø Choose who to follow and type @COSATU2015_ and @COSATU TODAY @_cosatu
Ø And you’re skinning in the game through COSATU tweets
Communicating messages that matter is like artwork
Social Media generation is here and is unavoidable
‘Let’s skin in the game of COSATU Tweets’
Ntai Norman Mampane (Communications Officer)
Congress of South African Trade Unions
110 Jorissen Cnr Simmonds Street
Tel: +27 11 339-4911 or Direct: +27 10 219-1342
