Taking COSATU Today Forward, 1 August 2022 #WomensMonth
Norman Mampane
|
#2022YearofWorkersParliament #Women’s Month commences…..#Gender Struggle is a #PoliticalStruggle #ClassStruggle #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
Monday, 1 August 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!
- Update on Transnet Wage Negotiations
- South Africa
- NUM National Women Structure calls upon justice for the Krugersdorp 8 Rape Victims: A Right and Our Joint Responsibility
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
Ø Young workers commit to active participation in transforming trade unions in Botswana
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
Update on Transnet Wage Negotiations
Jack Mazibuko, SATAWU General Secretary, 27 July 2022
The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU) wishes to inform its members and the public that it has met with Transnet Management for salary negotiations and the two had the last round of the negotiations between the 21st and the 22nd of July 2022.
Regrettably the two parties did not agree on wage increment and few other issues, and we have since taken the matter to the Transnet Bargaining Council (TBC). The TBC will then call SATAWU and Transnet Management for a consultation. If the employer does not come with a better off, and negotiations remain deadlocked the Bargaining Council will then issue a certificate to allow the union and its members to conduct a protected strike.
The South African Transport and Allied Workers Union wants to state that going on a strike is not the main priority however we will be forced to if the employer keeps on insulting and undermining us.
We are confident that we will meet the Transnet Management at the Bargaining Council within the next thirty days (30), and we will then communicate the updates and new developments our members and the media in due course.
SATAWU wants to reassure its members that it will continue fighting against inequality, poverty and poor working conditions in all its sectors.
Issued by SATAWU
General Secretary Cde Jack Mazibuko : 082 660 4793
Deputy General Secretary Cde Anele Kiet : 071 021 1903
Head of Communications Amanda Tshemese : 062 945 7217
South Africa
Mathapelo Khanye, NUM Women Structure National Secretary, 30 July 2022
The National Women Structure (NUM) is committed to ensuring a safe and harassment-free working environment and a culture of mutual respect across all sectors. The perpetrators of the barbaric rape in Krugersdorp have not only violated the human rights of these 8 women, but their safety in their world of work as the space they were working at is their workspace at that moment. Artists are deemed vulnerable sector based on the type of their type of work, and as the trade union it is our right and our joint responsibility with other formations to uphold and adhere to ILO C190 that "commits to the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence and harassment".
As Women of NUM, this is what resonates with our protection of human rights and their dignity.
We appreciate and acknowledge the swift arrest of these monsters that have been terrorizing the community of Krugersdorp. We further call upon every South African to stand together in ensuring that these criminals (illegal miners) are not exonerated to their country (Lesotho) for justice to be served.
They should be handed over with a heavy sentence in SA prison to send a clear message to all perpetrators that regardless of their nationality harassment towards women & children and the vulnerable is to be a thing of the past.
Recognizing that violence and harassment in the world of work can constitute a human rights violation or abuse and that violence and harassment are a threat to equal opportunities, is unacceptable and incompatible with decent work.
We, therefore, call upon all employers to recall that they have an important responsibility to promote a general environment of 0% tolerance and actively prevent sexual harassment and misconduct towards their employees, to recognise the right of everyone to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence
Acknowledging that violence and harassment in the world of work affect a person’s psychological, physical and sexual health, dignity, and family and social environment, and recognizing that violence and harassment also affect the quality of public and private services, and may prevent persons, particularly women, from accessing, and remaining and advancing in the labour market.
_________________
International-Solidarity
Share
Young workers commit to active participation in transforming trade unions in Botswana
28 July, 2022
The youth activist schools are spaces where young workers discuss how they can be catalysts in the transformation of trade unions. Recommendations from the schools have included strategies and tactics on how young workers can be change agents that shape and drive the future of unions.
The second Sub-Saharan Africa IndustriALL Global Union-Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) youth activist school program this year took place in Gaborone, Botswana, 20-23 July. Over 20 young workers participated,11 were women.
The activist school was held in partnership with IndustriALL, FES and the Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU). A third session of the will take place in November.
The first school program for 2022 took place in Tanzania, previous schools were held in 13 African countries, before the learning events were disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The next activist school programme will take place in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.
The young workers' list of priorities on transforming unions include strategies to advance the decent work agenda, and the future of work. On advancing workers’ rights, the importance of national labour laws and international labour standards was highlighted.
The participants came from 10 unions that organize in the automotive, diamond, energy, garment and textile, mining, the public sector, and others.
Discussions included knowledge and skills that are needed for young workers to play effective roles in the union. The BFTU highlighted the history, legal frameworks, and the national trade union context, while the Southern African Trade Union Coordination Council (SATUCC) presented on effective approaches to collective bargaining. The FES presented engagement and successful negotiations. These sessions explored the collective bargaining culture in Botswana and how to make it more effective.
There were discussions on international worker solidarity, inclusive social dialogue processes that catered to young women and men and focused on strengthening non-adversarial industrial relations. Feminist approaches to trade union campaigns included discussions on gender equity and equality and developing workplace policies using International Labour Organization Convention 190 on eliminating violence and harassment in the world of work. Gender role plays exposed how women workers had more roles than their male colleagues, and how this impacted on their participation in union activities.
“As young workers we welcome the youth activist school because it offers practical workers education which is key to effective trade unionism. In addition, for unions to stand for fair and just societies, they must be inclusive of young workers in all spheres of union life,”
said Vanessa Nakedi, BFTU youth secretary.
Tumelo Awee, Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) added that
“The activist school challenges us to evaluate and play effective roles as young workers. With the new learning from the activist school, we are now better prepared to engage employers.”
Thilo Schöne, FES Botswana resident representative says: “The youth activist school is an important revival of interactive, union-related and justice-motivated training for young Batswana. I am impressed by the solidarity, dynamism, and motivation of young trade unionists to become more involved in their unions in the future and to work for better working conditions.”
Paule France Ndessomin, IndustriALL regional secretary for Sub Saharan Africa explained that,
“The youth activist schools are a strategy to create a vibrant trade union youth network in Africa that is innovative in using digital tools in union organizing. This network aims to build an activist and learning community that will advocate for social transformation. Additionally, we want the youth network to be a space where young workers will become organisers, negotiators, and gender champions through capacity development and networking.”
The Botswana Diamond Workers Union (BDWU), BMWU, and the Botswana Power Corporation Workers Union (BPCWU) who are affiliated to IndustriALL and the BFTU also participated in the activist school.
__________________________
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