Taking COSATU Today Forward, 26 July 2022
Norman Mampane
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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, 26 July 2022
‘Deepen
the Back to Basics Campaign, Consolidate the Struggle for the NDR and Advance the Struggle for Socialism’
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Contents
- Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- Applications for Old Mutual Education Trust Scholarship Programme Now Open for the 2023 Academic Year!
- South Africa
- COSATU Eastern Cape demands better conditions for farm workers and dwellers
- International-Workers’ Solidarity!
Ø Fighting the dismantlement of Belarus’ independent trade unions
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
Members of DENOSA are hereby informed that Applications for the Old Mutual Education Trust Scholarship Programme for the 2023 academic year are now open to all paid-up DENOSA members, their spouses, dependent children and employees of DENOSA.
Enclosed is the information on the criteria, the time-line of the process from application to the final decision as well as the closing date.
The closing date for applications is end of August 2022.
DENOSA encourages all its members to utilize this opportunity to the maximum.
To apply, follow this link: https://www.oldmutual.co.za/.../old-mutual-education-trust/
Wishing you all the best of luck!!
South Africa
COSATU Eastern Cape demands better conditions for farm workers and dwellers
Mkhawuleli Maleki, COSATU Eastern Cape Provincial Secretary, 26 July 2022
This past weekend, the Congress of South Africa Trade Unions in the Eastern Cape experienced first-hand, the appalling working conditions of farm workers and dwellers.
This happened during a visit of the Joint Ad-Hoc Committee consisting of Members of Parliament from the Portfolio Committees on Employment and Labour as well as Agriculture, Rural Development and Land Reform from Friday, 22 July 2022 to Sunday, 24 July 2022.
The mandate of the Ad-Hoc Committee was to assess the working and living conditions farm workers, labour tenants and their families face and explore solutions and interventions necessary to address them.
COSATU welcomed the visit and was encouraged by the presence of senior officials from both departments at national and provincial levels.
We appreciate their assertive role in giving clarity on complex issues and assisting to resolve some of the challenges on the spot. Holding such interactions between these two departments regularly beyond the visit of the Joint Ad-Hoc Parliamentary Committee would greatly benefit farm workers and dwellers.
Serious violation of farm workers and dwellers’ rights were identified during the visits. We were exposed to the violation of labour laws and inadequate housing. The inhabitable state of houses for the dwellers in some farms was an indication of sub-human treatment they are subjected to.
There are instances where farm workers are paid less than the minimum wage.
We appreciate the Department of Labour and Employment’s commitment to to follow up those cases and we shall hold them to their word.
An owner of Newlands, a citrus farm stated unashamedly that he and other farm owners around Patensie in Sarah Baartman District prefer to employ Zimbabwean nationals who in most cases, are undocumented.
This is manly done to get cheap labour and to evade applying labour laws.
This is a very concerning matter as it brews conflict between local citizens and other African nationals.
COSATU is encouraged by the membership recruitment in the farms and appreciates the growing footprint of the affiliates in different operations in the farming sector. The Federation will intensify recruitment programmes to unite the workers in the sector, defend workers’ rights and improve their conditions.
It is unacceptable that 28 years into democracy, farm workers and dwellers are subjected to such terrible conditions.
COSATU demands that every stakeholder must play its part in ensuring that conditions of farm workers and dwellers change for the better. In the interim, our leadership in the province has approached Agri EC representatives to facilitate a meeting between the two parties to fast-track engagements in efforts to harmonise and stabilise the situation at the farms.
COSATU is prepared to strengthen its working relationship with national departments involved in the farming community, provincial and local governments in working towards addressing the plight of farm workers and dwellers.
Issued by COSATU Eastern Cape
International-Solidarity
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Fighting the dismantlement of Belarus’ independent trade unions
22 July, 2022
The regime in Belarus has dismantled the country's independent trade unions. IndustriALL and affiliates stand strong in defending them and democracy in the country.
On 18 July, the Supreme Court decided to liquidate and dissolve the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), and its four members, three of them affiliated to IndustriALL - the Belarusian Independent Trade Union (BITU or BNP), the Union of Radio and Electronics Workers (REP), the Free Trade Union of Belarus (SPB), and the Free Trade Union of Metalworkers (SPM).
IndustriALL considers the decision null and void and continues to support its affiliates BITU, SPM and REP.
In its letter to the ILO Director General for urgent intervention,
"IndustriALL condemns in the strongest possible terms the court decision, which we do not recognize. We will continue to assist and fully support the independent trade unions in Belarus to guarantee their organizational continuity.”
The repression of independent trade unions in Belarus is politically motivated and constitutes an assault on democracy and its institutions. The arrest of trade union leaders for exercising their legitimate right to freedom of association constitutes a grave violation of their fundamental human rights.
IndustriALL is demanding that the 15 trade union leaders and activists remaining in prison are released immediately:
1.
Aliaksandr Yarashuk – Chairperson of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic trade unions, BKDP. 2. Siarhei Antusevich – Vice-Chairperson of BKDP.
3. Hennadz Fiadynich – Vice-chairperson of the Radio and Electronic workers’ union, REP.
4. Vatslau Areshka – activist of REP.
5. Mikhail Hromau - Member and Secretary of SPM Council.
6. Iryna But-Husaim - BKDP media team officer, book-keeper of BKDP.
7. Miraslau Sabchuk – Activist of SPM.
8. Yanina Malash - Deputy Chairperson of SPM, officer for organizing.
9. Vitali Chychmarou - Member of SPM Council, labour inspector.
10. Vasil Berasneu - Acting Chairperson of REP.
11. Zinaida Mikhniuk - Deputy chairperson of REP.
12. Aliaksandr Mishuk – Vice-Chairperson of BITU, Chairperson of BITU at JSC Belaruskali.
13. Ihar Povarau – activist of BITU at Belarusian Metallurgical Plant, BMZ.
14. Yauhen Hovar – activist of BITU at Belarusian Metallurgical Plant, BMZ.
15. Artsiom Zhernak – Chairperson of SPM at Minsk Automobile plant.
IndustriALL also demands that
“as a matter of urgency, the government of Belarus must give access to visitors, including an ILO mission to the country, IndustriALL, ITUC and other global trade union organizations, to ascertain the conditions of arrest and detention and the welfare of the detained trade unionists.”
In addition, IndustriALL demands that access be given to these organizations to observe the ongoing trials against trade unionists and trade union organizations.
“IndustriALL Global Union is committed to continue to support and assist Belorussian independent unions in their struggle to exercise under any circumstances, without fear of persecution or detention, their right to peaceful assembly and association, freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of the press, the right to a fair trial, and the right to organize and collective bargaining,”
says IndustriALL assistant general secetary Kemal Ōzkan.
“The government of Belarus must change course and commit to global democratic standards.”
Badly made and unconvincing fake news are part the relentless attacks by the regime in Belarus. The state propaganda machinery has escalated its attacks on IndustriALL, the ILO, as well as national unions. Belarusian state TV showed a film, containing illegal recordings from union offices, as well as illegally obtained IndustriALL footage, attempting to portray a corrupt union leadership.
Taking
full account of these egregious violations of human and fundamental trade union rights, IndustriALL is calling on affiliates to contact the embassy of Belarus in their country and send a model letter.
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supported by the global labour movement.
__________________________
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