Taking COSATU Today Forward, 10 June 2024
Norman Mampane
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COSATU TODAY |
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
Monday, 8 June 2024
‘Building a strong and united COSATU in mobilizing for the ANC electoral victory”
“Build Working Class Unity for Economic Liberation towards Socialism”
Organize or Starve!
Contents
o Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- COSATU has a vacancy of a LegaL Officer Based at COSATU Head Office
- NUM signed a five-year wage agreement with Petra Diamonds
- NUM set to convene its National Policy Conference from the 11th - 13th June 2024 at Birchwood Conference Centre
o South Africa
- COSATU supports the strike by SATAWU members at G4S
o International-Workers’ Solidarity!
- Thai confederation demands inclusion of ILO conventions in FTA negotiations
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
COSATU has a vacancy of a
LegaL Officer Based at COSATU Head Office
Khanyisile Fakude, COSATU Administrative Secretary, 7 June 2024
The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing all legal matters of the Federation and working with Departments, Provinces and Affiliates of the Federation. Reporting directly to the General Secretary.
Functions and Responsibilities:
- Coordinate the compilation of all legal documents for the Secretariat and the Central Executive Committee.
- Advice the Central Executive Committee,
- Provincial Executive Committee and Departments on all legal matters.
- Draft all legal documents on behalf of the Federation.
- Provide advice on contracts to be signed by the Provincial and National Offices.
- Represent the Federation at NEDLAC as needed.
- Work closely with COSATU’s Policy Department and Parliamentary Office on legislation and policy matters.
- Advise on current trends with regards to legal issues.
- Advise and screen requests for authorisation for use of external lawyers.
- Coordinate and interact with external lawyers as well as monitoring and assessing the work of such lawyers on legal matters referred to them.
- Provide reports on the legal issues in the Federation.
- Attending meetings of the Secretariat, SIC, constitutional structures, important meetings of the Affiliates and other events in which COSATU is involved as needed.
Requirements:
- LLB plus admission to the Bar or the High Court respectively as an Advocate or Attorney will be advantageous
- Exposure to labour law and industrial relations.
- A thorough understanding of labour laws, Labour Court and Labour Appeal Court and CCMA rules.
- Commitment to democratic principles and values of the progressive labour movement.
- The ability to conduct legal research.
- The ability to draft legally sound documents.
- Have good presentation skills.
- Extensive communication skills.
All applications should be sent on the 5th July 2024 with a motivational letter, detailed CV inclusive of qualifications and contactable references to: The General Secretary
Email: Khany...@cosatu.org.za
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NUM signed a five-year wage agreement with Petra Diamonds
Masibulele Naki, NUM Health and Safety Secretary and NUM Petra Diamonds Chief Negotiator, 07 June 2024
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Petra Diamonds signed a valid and binding 5 (five) year agreement for the NUM members within the A and B Paterson grade (Recognised Bargaining Units) for the period 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2029. The wage agreement was signed today at the NUM Head Office in Johannesburg.
The wage agreement is an extension of the 2021-2024 wage agreement between the parties 07 June 2024. This agreement supersedes any other previous wage agreement between the parties.
Salary increases
The basic salary of the Employees, excluding all allowances, non-salary related bonuses, gratuities and payments of a like nature, shall be increased from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2029 as set out below:
Year 1: 6.25% / CPI
Year 2: 5.75% / CPI
Year 3: 5.75% / CPI
Year 4: 6.5% / CPI
Year 5: 6.5% / CPI
NUM Chief Negotiator at Petra Diamonds Masibulele Naki said the wage negotiations were extremely difficult and robust until they signed the wage agreement today.
“We signed the wage agreement today under a very difficult situation where the NUM is facing two retrenchments at Cullinan and Finsch Mines. We managed to negotiate for salary increases that we think will sustain jobs and also make sure that workers are happy,” Naki said.
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NUM set to convene its National Policy Conference from the 11th - 13th June 2024 at Birchwood Conference Centre
Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 05 June 2024
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) will from the 11th - 13th June 2024 convene its National Policy Conference, set to take place at Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre in Boksburg.
The National Policy Conference is organised under the theme “41 Years of Unbroken Revolutionary Struggle for Workers”.
A range of organisational policy related issues within the four sectors that the NUM is organising (Mining, Energy, Construction and Metal Sectors) are scheduled to be thoroughly discussed and future plans outlined.
Amongst speakers invited and scheduled to give messages of support to delegates are leaders from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), the African National Congress (ANC), the South African Communist Party (SACP) and other fraternal local and international organisations.
COSATU has already confirmed deployment of its General Secretary Solly Phetoe while SACP and ANC are still yet to confirm.
Members of the media are therefore invited to attend and cover the event and the full programme will be distributed to journalists at the venue.
For more detailed information, please contact:
Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson, 083 809 3257
Luphert Chilwane, NUM Media Officer, 083 809 3255/ 073 354 6569
South Africa
COSATU supports the strike by SATAWU members at G4S
Zanele Sabela, COSATU National Spokesperson, 07 June 2024
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) supports the strike at G4S Cash Solutions by members of our affiliate, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU). The strike started on Friday and is set to disrupt the collection and distribution of money across the country.
Workers have downed tools because SATAWU and the employer failed to reach consensus on the implementation of Section 189(A) process, but the employer went on to retrench workers regardless.
We commend SATAWU for militantly defending workers’ rights against this delinquent employer. Adding insult to injury, some of the aggrieved workers have served the company loyally for more than 15 years but were indiscriminately relegated to the rubbish bin.
COSATU pledges solidarity with workers at G4S and urges them to continue withholding their labour until they achieve their goals.
Issued by COSATU
International-Solidarity
Thai confederation demands inclusion of ILO conventions in FTA negotiations
7 June, 2024
On 29 May the leaders of the Confederation of Industrial Labour of Thailand (CILT) met with European Union (EU) representatives in Bangkok to demand the inclusion of the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) fundamental conventions in EU-Thailand Free Trade Agreements (FTA).
Prasit Prasopsuk, IndustriALL affiliate CILT president, said Conventions 87 (Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organize) and 98 (on Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining) are particularly important to Thai workers as they are facing endless anti-union discrimination, the two conventions should be one of the main prerequisites for FTA negotiations.
“We emphasized that trade negotiations must take sustainable development and protection of labour rights into consideration. The Thai government must engage stakeholders such as ILO and CILT in FTA negotiations and monitor its outcome,”
said Prasit Prasopsuk.
EU representative, Petros Sourmelis, head of the economic and trade section confirmed that the draft sustainability chapter in the EU-Thailand FTA has included ILO fundamental conventions on freedom of association, forced labour, child labour and discrimination. The EU is now waiting for a response from the Thai government.
He said that when the EU-Thailand FTA is ratified and in force, the EU shall conduct a two-year policy review on the compliance of sustainability chapter and ILO standards. Trade unions have the right to provide information relating to violations of workers’ rights to the EU.
Since 2023, CILT and 25 labour organizations in Thailand have formed the ILO 8798 Convention driving network to demand immediate ratification of these Conventions.
Going forward, the network is planning to submit an open letter to the EU and the Thai government, in October, in conjunction with the next trade negotiation in Bangkok.
“Trade must bring benefits to people and workers. It is IndustriALL’s position that all free trade agreements must include enforceable international labour standards. We stand in solidarity with CILT to demand protection of freedom of association and right to collective bargaining in Thailand,”
said Ramon Certeza, IndustriALL regional secretary for South East Asia.
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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