Taking COSATU Today Forward, 15 April 2021
Norman Mampane
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#Cosatu Media Forum postponed to Monday, 19th April at 13h00 for all affiliated trade union’s spokespersons, media officers #Back2Basics |
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
Thursday,
15 April 2021
‘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
o Workers Parliament: Back to Basics!
- SACTWU Participates in Webinar: Boosting the SCORE on Better Working Conditions and Improved Productivity in SA's Clothing and Textile Manufacturing Sector
o South Africa
- SALGA insults workers by offering a ridiculous R233 salary increase
o International-Workers’ Solidarity!
Ø Malaysian government urged to end emergency rule and reform labour law
Workers’ Parliament-Back2Basics
SACTWU
Participates in Webinar: Boosting the SCORE on Better Working Conditions and Improved Productivity in SA's Clothing and Textile Manufacturing Sector
14
April 2021
A webinar on learnings and possible solutions from a breakthrough international pilot project
Battered by global competition, job cuts, declining consumer spending, and the gruelling effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, South Africa's clothing and textile manufacturing sector has been struggling to thrive.
Now, an innovative international programme, aimed at improving productivity, quality, competitiveness, and working conditions, is set to help the industry get back on its feet.
Lessons from the implementation of the International Labour Organization's tried-and-tested SCORE (Sustaining Competitive and Responsible Enterprises) programme will be shared during an online webinar on Thursday 15 April, 2021, from 10am to 12pm.
Speakers at the event include the Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi; the EU's Ambassador to South Africa, Dr Riina Kionka; the Acting Head of the Government Technical Advisory Centre, Lindiwe Ndlela; the General Secretary of the South African Clothing and Textiles Workers’ Union (SACTWU), Andre Kriel; and the CEO of the National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry (NBCCMI), Paul Wild.
SCORE has been piloted at 15 clothing and textile-manufacturing firms in Kwa-Zulu Natal, Gauteng and the Western Cape.
The journey started in 2016, when the National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry (NBCCMI), in tandem with the clothing industry trade union (SACTWU) and employer associations, established the Productivity and Training Institute (PTI). The goal was to help clothing manufacturers and their employees develop competitive and sustainable workplaces through improved industrial relations.
The SCORE training methodology, which has been tried and tested by suppliers of major global brands and products, is designed to achieve a "win-win" for employees and employers, by improving workplace cooperation, quality, productivity, workforce management, and safety and health in the workplace.
Initiated by SACTWU, the pilot takes its cue from the 2018 Presidential Jobs Summit, which saw an agreement between the South African Government and social partners, to roll out inclusive growth interventions in the manufacturing sector.
The clothing and textile manufacturing industry was chosen for the pilot project because of the substantial challenges faced by the sector in the last two decades.
These include poor policies, strained employer-employee relationships, low levels of competitiveness especially with imports, aged equipment and manufacturing technologies, and insufficient investment in the training and skills required to respond to changing market and consumer demands.
The SCORE programme was piloted in a collaboration between the NBCCMI, PTI, Productivity SA, and the EU-funded Capacity Building for Employment Promotion Programme (CBPEP) in the Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC), with the ILO providing technical support.
SCORE is a global ILO programme that focuses on:
- Reducing costs, waste and environmental impact;
- Upgrading the working environment;
- Increasing process systemisation and quality management;
- Strengthening communication and joint problem solving through improved workplace collaboration;
- And promoting the use of measurement to drive continuous improvement.
The webinar will reflect on lessons learned by trainers, employers, and workers from the participating firms and supporting institutions. It will explore the potential for rolling out SCORE to additional manufacturing sectors and industries.
The registration link for the webinar is
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FYOMnHkqSRaQ-Stpm-Qaig
Please see the agenda for the webinar below. For media queries or any more information, contact t...@lushomo.net.
AGENDA
Opening, welcome and setting the stage
Daniel Chiwandamira – Facilitator
Productivity Challenges and Improved Workplace Cooperation following up on the 2018 Jobs Summit Framework Agreement
- Thulas Nxesi, Minster of the Department of Employment and Labour
- Dr Riina Kionka, EU Ambassador to South Africa
- Lindiwe Ndlela, Acting Head of the Government Technical Advisory Centre
- Andre Kriel, General Secretary, South African Clothing and Textiles Workers Union (SACTWU)
- Paul Wild, CEO of NBCCMI
Lessons Learned from Firms and Trainers that participated in the SCORE programme pilot (co-facilitated by Kathy Nicolaou-Manias and Daniel Chiwandamira)
- Overview of the SCORE Programme, Steady Mukondiwa, NBCCMI
- Reflections from 3 SCORE trainers: Charlene Steyn, Dumisani Mkhwanazi and Phumeza Nobhongoza
- Reflections from firms participating in SCORE (CIOVITA, Masana Clothing, The Foschini Group)
- Certification of the SCORE trainers presented by Vic van Vuuren, Director, ILO Enterprise Department and Michael Elkin, Head of SCORE Programme
Question and Answer session
The Future Role of the SCORE programme, in South Africa, Boosting the Productivity of Firms and Workplace Cooperation
- Mothunye Mothiba, CEO of Productivity SA
- Reflections from organised labour, Representative for SACTWU: Etienne Vlok National Industrial Policy Officer
- Reflections from organised business: representative of manufacturing employers: Ed Besson, Apparel and Textile Association of South Africa
- Question and Answer
Closing Remarks
- Joni Musabayana, ILO Director, ILO DWT/CO Pretoria
Issued by SACTWU
South Africa
SALGA insults workers by offering a ridiculous R233 salary increase
Dumisane Magagula, SAMWU Deputy General Secretary, 14 April 2021
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) has on the 12th to the 14th of April 2021continued with the salary and wage negotiations for municipal workers in the South African Local Government Bargaining Council (SALGBC) wherein trade unions and the employer representative, the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) meet to discuss salaries and wages for workers in under the auspices of the SALGBC.
This meeting follows the first meeting held by parties in February wherein trade unions formally presented their mandated demands in the Bargaining Council. In the April meeting, SALGA finally responded to the demands of workers wherein they presented a ridiculous offer for workers. If this was not a matter of the bread-and-butter issues and of direct interest to our members, we would label their offer as laughable.
In the meeting, SALGA presented a salary and wage proposal of R233 increase for the country’s municipal workers. In addition to this, SALGA further proposed that all other demands such as medical aid, standby allowance, cell phone allowance and housing allowance should be frozen for the coming three years.
The offer by SALGA comes as spit in the faces of municipal workers who have carried this country throughout the pandemic and continued ensuring that the delivery of quality services is not disrupted or interrupted despite workers facing the greater risk of contracting Covid-19 in the workplace as a result of the incompetence and reluctance of employers to ensure that the health and safety of workers is guaranteed.
Of greatest concern to us is that SALGA is hellbent on punishing municipal workers for the coronavirus pandemic, a pandemic which is not of their own making. The employer further argues that the pandemic almost brought government services to a near standstill, yet they forget that it is the same municipal workers who have and continue to ensure that services are delivered without fail throughout the country.
In further trying to substantiate their ridiculous offer, SALGA argues that South Africa has recorded the highest unemployment rate since the 2008 global recession. It is our considered view as SAMWU that the high levels of unemployment is reason enough for municipal workers to receive the demands which they have put forward. This given the fact that on average, 1 worker in the country supports between 4 and 7 depends.
To further illustrate that SALGA is not interested in the welfare of municipal workers, they have encouraged municipalities to increase levies, rates and taxes to above inflation. They forget that these very same workers whom they are denying a living wage and offered a mere R233 are supposed to be paying those levies, rates and taxes which will undoubtedly be unaffordable to workers and the working class in general.
Essentially, SALGA has taken a decision that they want to relegate municipal workers to starvation and hunger while expecting them to productive.
In further wanting use municipal workers as scape goats, SALGA has indicated that there are a number of municipalities which are under financial distress. As the general custodian of municipalities, SALGA forgets that it is their members who are responsible for the looting and thieving of the much-needed resources.
The Auditor General has year after year expressed concern that municipalities continue to irregularly fruitlessly and wastefully money with impunity. Corruption in the sector has become an order of the day particularly through the tendering system.
The Auditor general has further indicated that municipalities are failing to properly collect money that is owed to them. As per the report presented in Parliament, municipalities are owed over R20 billion by government departments while a further R120 billion is owed by businesses and residents to municipalities.
SALGA can therefore not come to the negotiation table and plead poverty whereas they are failing to collect billions that are owed to them. For the record, the demands that have been put forward by trade unions will only cost the employer R9 billion more annually.
We are therefore of the view that these demands are affordable by municipalities and as such, workers should be given what is due to them. Compared to other spheres of government, the wage bill in all of the country’s 257 municipalities is R29 billion per annum, this the smallest of all wage bills in all of the three government spheres.
The argument by the employer that municipalities have a bloated workforce is therefore manipulative and self-serving and further seeks to serve as a move to portray municipal workers as greedy.
In responding to the substantive motivations made by trade unions, the employer has therefore indicated that they will only consider a salary and wage collective agreement if the following conditions are met;
1. A 3-year multiyear salary and wage collective agreement.
2. A 2.8% salary increase across the board, this translates to R233 increase for the least paid employees.
3. A collective agreement on pension fund restructuring, without our demand for the 25% employer contribution towards pension funds.
4. A total freeze on all benefits linked to salaries.
5. An easy mechanism of municipalities to opt-out of the collective agreement.
6. An easier mechanism for municipalities apply for exemption from the collective agreement.
7. Retaining the 60% employer medical aid contribution.
We are particularly infuriated by the fact that SALGA wants to coerce workers into signing an agreement that makes it easy to renege on the agreement through an opt-out” “clause despite there being mechanisms which allow municipalities to apply for exemptions if they are unable to honour the collective agreement.
To make things worse, SALGA’s negotiation team is only comprised of officials from both the SALGA’s Head Office and a mixture of senior and junior managers from municipalities. As SAMWU, we are convinced that these negotiations could be concluded earlier if there was the involvement of Councillors and senior officials from SALGA such as their President, Cllr Thembi Nkadimeng.
The proposal by SALGA and the non-availability who are able to take decisions on behalf of SALGA is a clear indication that they are not interested in concluding these negotiations timeously and in the interest of all parties involved.
As mandated by our National Collective Bargaining Conference and the subsequent Special Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting. Our demands remain as presented to parties in the SALGBC
On March 11 as follows;
- A single year salary and wage agreement.
- R4 000 salary increase for all workers under the auspices of the SALGBC.
- R15 000 sectoral minimum wage.
- R 3 500 housing allowance for all workers. 80% employer medical aid contribution and 20% employee contribution.
- 25% employer contribution towards pension.
- Six months fully paid maternal leave and 1 month fully paid paternity leave.
- That this collective agreement should include EPWP and CWP workers who report directly to municipalities.
- 80% employer contribution towards medical aid and 20% employee contribution.
As SAMWU, we believe that these mandated demands we presented are affordable by municipalities. Municipal workers cannot be blamed for individuals who made it their mandate to deliberately loot and run-down municipalities.
From this point forward, we will be robustly engaging with our members on this ridiculous offer.
Given the arrogance and negotiation in bad faith by SALGA, we are therefore mobilising and readying our members to ensure that their demands are met.
If SALGA wants to continue negotiating in bad faith, our members are ready to ensure that these negotiations are concluded on the streets.
Issued by SAMWU
International-Solidarity
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Malaysian government urged to end emergency rule and reform labour law
14 April, 2021
Malaysian unions are campaigning to end emergency rule in the country, calling on the government to reform labour laws to protect workers’ rights during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Since a change of federal government in 2018, the Pakatan Harapan government begun reforming labour law. After the Industrial Relations Act was passed in the parliament, the government collapsed in February 2020.
The new Perikatan Nasional government, which rules by a razor thin majority, has used Covid-19 to introduce a variety of movement control orders and limited parliament seating. In January 2021, the government proclaimed a state of emergency and suspended the parliament.
94 per cent of Malaysian workers are denied the right to organize and collective bargaining due to restrictive labour laws.
The Labour Law Reform Coalition (LLRC) chairperson and IndustriALL Malaysia secretary N. Gopal Kishnam, says:
“We are demanding that anti-worker provisions severely restricting workers’ freedom to establish or join unions of their choice, right to collective bargaining and right to strike, are removed from the labour laws.
“Suspension of parliament has delayed the amendments of the trade union act and the implementation of the new industrial relations act. We are urging the government to reconvene parliament and pass all ministry proposals made public in 2019.”
LLRC has been engaging with the new government to continue labour law reforms to ensure that workers have a bargaining platform with employers during the pandemic. With no positive response from the ministry of human resources, the coalition decided to campaign in public.
Since 7 April, leaders of IndustriALL affiliates National Union of Transport Equipment and Allied Industries Workers (NUTEAIW), Electrical Industry Workers' Union (EIWU), Electronics Industry Employees’ Union Coalition (EIEU Coalition) and Paper and Paper Products Manufacturing Employees Union (PPPMEU) have participated in a week of action on labour law reform organized by LLRC.
IndustriALL South East Asia regional secretary Annie Adviento says:
“We fully support the campaign for Malaysian labour law reform in conformity with ILO standards. Freedom of association is the baseline principle of any national labour law.”
__________________________
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