COSATU Today, 15 November 2012
Norman Mampane
COSATU Today
Our side of the story
Thursday 15 November 2012
‘Strengthen COSATU for total emancipation’
Contents
Workers’ Parliament
Ø SACCAWU Supports farm workers strikes in the Western Cape
Ø SACCAWU salutes a revolutionary-par excellence-Comrade “Lee” Modiga
Ø Hamba kahle Comrade Molefe Elias ‘Lee’ Modige
Ø FAWU NOB’s visiting Ceres, Robertson and De Doorns, to accelerate workers’ hegemony
Ø COSATU NW continues with its actions in defence of the working class and the poor
Ø COSATU Limpopo Workers’ Rally coming at Ga-Madiseng, Tubatse
Ø Enabling COSATU Members access ‘Cosatu Today face-book Page’
South Africa
Ø Open letter on strike in Agriculture Western Cape from COSATU W Cape-To all role players!
International
Ø NEHAWU condemns the killing of innocent women and children in Palestine by Israeli army
Ø Deputy Minister Fransman hosting Irish Minister of State for Trade and Development
Ø ILO names five countries for serious violations of freedom of association
Ø Healing pharmacies-ILO
Ø Speech of WFTU GS, 15 Nov 2012 -The theories about the “independence and neutrality”
Ø Port dispute on maritime union conference agenda in New Zealand
Ø German union delegation joins DHL Turkey picketline
Ø Crisis not an excuse for cuts in development cooperation spending
Ø South African workers' protest violently put down at Xstrata
Ø CFMEU strikes at Rio Tinto mine
Comment
Ø More than 70 per cent of workers lack unemployment protection-ILO Analysis
Announcements
Ø South African Labour Bulletin coming Edition
Ø IndustriALL Affiliates take action to STOP PRECARIOUS WORK
Ø Living Wage Campaign; Bargaining for a Living Wage
Ø PSI World Congress in Durban, South Africa; 27-30 November 2012
Workers’ Parliament!
SACCAWU Supports farm workers strikes in the Western Cape
Mike Abrahams, SACCAWU Media Officer, 15 November 2012
SACCAWU fully support the striking farmworkers, their demands and the leadership role played by COSATU to defend these extremely vulnerable and low earning workers.
Like the mine workers earlier this year, farm workers are hidden behind the fences of farms, they work under horrendous conditions, they live in appalling conditions in a sector notorious for the brutality workers experience at the hand of employers.
These farm workers have signalled, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! This is a strike for higher wages, for better living conditions, for improved benefits and above all for DIGINTY!
To date, workers from surrounding farms of 16 towns in the Western Cape have exploded onto the public stage for all in the country and beyond to see.
Farm workers still earn wages as low as R69 per day, the constantly face ill-treatment, threats, assaults and threats of eviction.
Workers demand for R150-00 per day and we believe this is legitimate.
The DA opportunism and Zille calling in SANDF to protect farmers, not workers based on rumours that a farmer was killed!
Is typical of how they always come down on the side of bosses, to protect, the private property of the rich.
Unlike the Zille's fear of the Province descending into anarchy as a result of these strikes, it is the system of commercial and capitalist agriculture that is anarchic, a system that continually seek to drive wages down, erode living standards and emasculate the dignity of working people.
The farmers that blocked roads in some areas, did not do so to prevent other strikers coming onto their farms, instead it should be seen as another example of the almost slave like conditions under which workers exist on the farms and should be seen as an attempt to prevent workers on those farms from joining the strike.
Similarly the calls of organised agriculture and blaming outside forces must be rejected.
We a labour movement believing AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL!
And will support the legitimate demands of these workers.
We once again note with concern and condemn the injury and killing of a striking worker at the hands of police during industrial disputes.
This strike, like the the miners strike earlier, once again confirm the position put forward at the 11th National Congress of COSATU to call for a legislated national minimum wage that contribute to responding to the triple challenges faced by the country, growing poverty, growing inequality and growing unemployment.
This struggle has yet begun! SACCAWU support the farm workers.
An injury to one is an injury to all!
Issued by SACCAWU
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SACCAWU salutes a revolutionary-par excellence-Comrade “Lee” Modiga
Mike Abrahams, SACCAWU Media Officer, 15 November 2012
SACCAWU and Modige family have learnt with a sense of great shock and disbelief of the sad news of the passing on of Comrade Molefe “Lee” Modiga, our National Head of Organising, Campaigns and Collective Bargaining Unit. He passed on in the late hours of Sunday the 11th November 2012.
As the Trade Union Movement and the broader Working Class Forces we dip our flag in memory of this giant Marxist Leninist, negotiator and strategist of our movement who confronted the capitalism and its apparatus from the tender age of twelve years.
He was in and out of various jail cells in and around Gauteng and later confined in Robben Island for all his youth quality age, wherein he spent time with the likes of comrade Nelson Hlolihla Mandela and great leaders of PAC.
The late Comrade Lee was also part of AZANYU which was founded in 1981 with its Congress held in 1983. AZANYU was founded to develop the PAC underground structures inside South Africa and to recruit soldiers for the people `s army. APLA (Azanian People Liberation Army).
Through AZANYU he played a pivotal political role in the foundation NACTU (National African Congress of Trade Unions) African Women Organisation (AWO) Pan African Movement (PAM) in the 80`s and this contributed in increasing the profile of the PAC inside South Africa.
Key figures in the early days of AZANYU were Joe Tholoe, Thami Mazwai, and Phillip Dlamini. To help spread AZANYU beyond the Witwatersrand AZANYU cadres like Cunningham Ngcukana and Serame Molefi played a pivotal role.
Serame Molefi was active in Bloemfontein, in Cape Town there was Fezile Mvula, Molefo Modiga was in Pimville and Cunningham Ngcukana helped spread AZANYU across the Western and Eastern Cape. In the Eastern Cape it was comrades like Mngaza, Boniswa Ngcukana and Malusi Koli who made the mission possible.
In the Western Cape it was comrades like Twelve Fudumele and Fezile Mvula who ensure that AZANYU operations were successful.
Justice Lebea took ensured that AZANYU became a success in Kwazulu Natal as he worked through universities to spread AZANYU nationwide.
Comrade Lee Modiga and Nhlahla Lebea took interest in CCAWUSA/ SACCAWU as AZANYU activist during the long protracted strike of the militant OK Bazzar CCAWUSA members.
They played a important role in the campaign against this intransigent company at that time and were always visible at the picket line in particularly at OK Bazzar in Elloff Street.
Comrade Lee Modiga was part of those in the PAC that adheres to the principles of Marxist Leninism and believed in the dictatorship of the proletariat hence the role he played in infiltrating CUSA and the founding of NACTU.
The leadership of the then CCAWUSA Johannesburg Branch having identified the broader potential political and organisational capabilities of both Comrades Lee Modiga and Nhlanhla Lebea through an interview resolved to employ the said comrades as full time organisers of the Union during the year 1987.
It is important to mention that he joined the rank of CCAWUSA/SACCAWU as an employee during the split within the Union Comrade Lee Modiga which took three years to be resolved. Comrade Lee Modiga contributed to the building of the said CCAWUSA/SACCAWU Johannesburg Branch through recruitment and organising, organisational and political education and training and negotiations.
It is important to mention that the CCAWUSA/SACCAWU Johannesburg Branch was operating from Klerksdorp to Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga.
Comrade Lee have indentified the challenges that the Union was confronted with in relation to the broader exploitation of our members in the so-called Eastern Transvaal(MPUMALANGA) volunteered relocate to this area for the purpose of ensuring that there is betterment of the working condition of our members.
It is important to mention that this was during the period when the Union had no outside allowance for officials how he survived in the region without resources remains to be seen, but for him as a revolutionary intelligentsia .
He saw this as a broader contribution to the betterment of the working condition of our members.
He spent part of his adult live in this region to an extent that he married his beloved wife from Mpumalanga whom he is leaving with three daughters.
Comrade Lee Modiga was later deployed to SACCAWU Head-Office as National Negotiator during the period when the OCCBU Department was headed by Comrade Mafa Dlamini. He was responsible for the co-ordination and negotiations in companies like Pick `n Pay, Edcon, Metcash and Score Supermarkets to name but a few.
During this period he was regarded as a militant and most feared and aggressive negotiator who prioritised the betterment of the working conditions of our members.
He was able to co-ordinate his department with vigour until he was attacked by sickness related to diabetics.
Whilst the said sickness was eating the comrade slowly it was difficult for the SACCAWU Leadership to understand the damage it might have caused to Comrade Lee Modiga as he will always pretend to be strong within our eyes.
He will be laid to rest on Saturday the 17th of November 2012 whilst his memorial service will be held on Thursday the 15th of November 2012 at 14h00 at the St Peters Primary School in Pimville at Soweto, and on the 17th November 2012.
The Funeral Service would take place in the same venue on the 17th November 2012 at about 08h30 till three hours thereafter.
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Hamba kahle Comrade Molefe Elias ‘Lee’ Modige
Castro Ngobese, NUMSA National Spokesperson, 14 November 2012
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) sends its deepest condolences to our red and class orientated South African Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union (SACCAWU) and the broader liberation movement headed by the African National Congress (ANC) on the sad departure of SACCAWU Head of Organising, Campaigns, Collective Bargaining Unit (OCCB) comrade Molefe Elias ‘Lee’ Modige.
The imperatives of nature, like thieves, have robbed us of one of the longest servant of the working class; a product of workers struggles for national liberation struggle is no more. A great son of the working class has ceased to breathe, a graduate of the University of the Struggle – Robben Island has left us to join the immortal living in ideas.
Comrade Modige departed from the land of the living to the land of the departed on the early hours of Monday 12 November 2012, on his tranquil slumber at home.
Comrade Modige represents the last generation of former Robben Island cadres deployed by both the vanguard party of the working class, the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the African National Congress (ANC) to build and strengthen the progressive trade union movement under worker’s clarion call of ‘one country, one federation, one sector, one union’.
Comrade Modige was a revered organiser, he towered above the rest as an negotiator par excellence, a working class thinker of note and a fountain of inspiration.
He departs at a time wherein COSATU and the rest of its affiliates must return back to the basics of revolutionary trade unionism by serving workers interests and inspirations. In his honour we should re-ignite revolutionary activism by build working class from below to contest the hegemony of capital at the point of production. He sadly leaves us behind whereby the owners of monopolies and greedy bosses’ are arrogantly undermining worker’s hard won right to collective bargaining.
His unexpected departure is a sad blow to the working class amidst the ideological onslaught meted by white monopoly capital against the property-less and exploited class in South Africa and elsewhere.
Comrade Modige’s life will inspire many generations, a glittering example of a courageous servant of the workers, personifying the noblest principles and finest traditions of the working class movement – selflessness as against self-centredness, collective leadership as against personality cult, solidarity as against survival of the fittest, sacrifice for common good as against greed and individualism.
In his memory and honour we shall defend the working class character of the ANC as we go to Mangaung. We shall go to Mangaung to elect a working class bias leadership collective of the ANC. We will elect a leadership collective that will deal with the failed neoliberal policies and the untransformed Apartheid Capitalist economy, which has made South Africa to deserve an Olympic Gold Medal for being the most unequal society on earth.
Wherever you are in the nooks and crannies of the universe, you are now in the capable hands of other celebrated stars of the working class.
Issued by NUMSA National Office Bearers (NOB’s)
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FAWU NOB’s visiting Ceres, Robertson and De Doorns, to accelerate workers’ hegemony
Katishi Masemola, FAWU General Secretary, 15 November 2012
The President of the Food and Allied Workers’ Union [FAWU], Attwell Nazo, and the General Secretary, Katishi Masemola, had a successful visit and meetings with farm workers, farm dwellers and township residents in Ceres and Robbertson yesterday (14th November 2012).
The success was characterized by the release of those arrested following the negotiations between FAWU and the police as well as the reception of the call for restraint from engaging in violence while maintaining peaceful protests.
The released workers were numbering 20 and 30, respectively in Ceres and Robertson.
While workers have rejected a call to return back to work for the next two weeks, a promise from workers to restrain from violent actions is welcomed by FAWU leadership.
Today, the President of FAWU is currently addressing workers, again at Robertson right now, from where he will move to Bonneville at 11h00 before proceeding to the De Doorns at 12h30 at the Stadium.
Issued by FAWU
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COSATU NW continues with its actions in defence of the working class and the poor
Solly Phetoe, COSATU North West Provincial Secretary, 15 November 2012
The Congress of South African Trade Unions in the North West province is embarking on a program of action to defend the working class and the poor people of this province and the country at large.
Since the dawn of democracy the workers of this country have been on the receiving end and they have not really benefited from the economy that has been growing even when the whole world was experiencing recession.
COSATU have noted that the workers and the poor people of this country have no one to cry to and their interests and needs are always dismissed and labelled as unreasonable. Hence we saw the mining Spring that started in Rustenburg and has almost spread to the whole country. Recently we saw the farm Spring is in the Western Cape and spreading.
COSATU believes that this is not a coincidence but an indication that the poor people of this country cannot take it any more while the bosses continue to pocket millions of bonuses every year end.
COSATU NW has seen that it is important that not to leave the people of this province leaderless and having to take the struggles on their own while their organisations are existing but not taking up these struggles.
To this end COSATU will be engaging on rolling mass action to take up the struggles of the working class and the poor and this mass action will include the following:
- The march against Xstrata’s dismissal of 220 workers, on 20 November [NUM]
- The march against the Rebone furniture dismissing 450 workers, on 23 November [NUMSA/CEPPWAWU]
- The campaign against the Swartruggens toll gate on 23November
- Sixteen days of activism against HIV/aids.
- Proudly South African Campaign
- The march to the department of labour on the cases of OMV, Chubby Chick and Aurora will also take place before the end of this month
COSATU NW supports the demands of the farm workers for R150 per day in De Doorns and we believe that this demand is reasonable, as farm owners continue to pocket millions of Rands in profits every year. What is worse is the living conditions of these farm workers.
We are also reporting that farm workers in the NW are starting their campaign, demanding R150 per day. We are speaking today the workers at Delareyville at the farm called Corsica who are on unprotected strike demanding R150, as workers have been working for R60 per day under very bad conditions.
The federation calls all farm workers in the NW to down tools and demand the better wages ofR150 per day and the improvement of conditions of service.
COSATU calls on all the communities who continue to experience poor services to develop their own campaigns and COSATU will support them. It is clear that workers in the NW are being treated very badly and we call on the department of public works and the municipalities in the NW to employ all those who are employed under the so-called Expanded Public Works Programme [EPWP] as permanent workers and stop abusing those workers.
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COSATU Limpopo Workers’ Rally coming at Ga-Madiseng, Tubatse
Dan Sebabi, COSATU Limpopo Provincial Secretary, 15 November 2012
The Congress of South African Trade Unions in Limpopo Province will be having a Workers Rally to defend NUM and COSATU and to redirect the anger and frustrations of workers to the employers.
This activity will be held in Tubatse which has more than 18 mines.
The rally will be addressed by COSATU National Office Bearer, SACP, ANC and SANCO and is scheduled to take place as follows:
Date : 17 November 2012
Time : 10H00
Venue: Nthame Primary School, Ga-Madiseng in Tubatse
We call upon all workers in Limpopo to attend the Rally in numbers.
Media is welcomed to attend and report.
For more information contact COSATU Limpopo Provincial Secretary, Dan Sebabi at 082 779 2421 or 072 515 6699
An injury to one is an injury to all!
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South Africa
Open letter on strike in Agriculture Western Cape from COSATU W Cape-To all role players!
Tony Ehrenreich, COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretary , 15 November 2012
The strike in the Agricultural sector is exploding, on the back of desperate circumstances of working people in those communities.
The people’s anger is being demonstrated by the violence seen during the strike. The social distance between farm workers and farmers intent on maintaining the old apartheid generational advantages is increasing.
The solution lies in leadership and an urgent response to the desperate plight of people, but it has to be leadership that appreciates the crisis and the need for urgent action. Just on Monday the Agri-SA said there was no crisis, and that they were not interested in negotiating a solution to minor issues.
The political leaders of the Province said this was agitation and there where good relations on farms and farm-workers were happy.
The National leadership had promulgated a minimum wage that was an insult in this era of rising food and other cost. So clearly we have all contributed to this crisis unfolding in front of our eyes, as workers go on strike without being part of the unions.
The television media [both SABC and ETV], who have been very active in covering the unions call for solidarity action, is now not interested in covering the unions’ call for a return to work, whilst the strike is suspended for 2 weeks. This clearly is an important means of communicating the message in relation to recent developments and progress.
What is the way forward?
- The politicians have to stop grandstanding on the issues, and collaborate on a solution.
- The Agri-SA must take its head out of the sand and stop undermining the workers desire to join a union.
- The Agri-SA must add their voice to the National call for an urgent increase in the minimum wages.
- The Government must speed up the convening of the forum where the negotiations on the new minimum will take place.
- The Unions must get workers organised into unions urgently and represent them.
The workers must understand that the strike is not called off, but merely suspended for 2 weeks, to give the government an opportunity to facilitate the increase of the Minimum wage, should they not be happy with the increase the strike can continue on 4th December 2012.
This road map is not a complicated concept, but requires political will to implement, from all sides. To delay is to cause the tensions to become even more volatile, thus removing the prospects of an urgent solution. The Agricultural sector will never be the same, and we have to construct new relationships and better conditions and wages, on this new reality.
The time for joint action and solutions are now, realising that we are in this together, black and white, farmer and worker.
Issued by COSATU Western Cape
International
NEHAWU condemns the killing of innocent women and children in Palestine by Israeli army
Sizwe Pamla, NEHAWU National Media Liaison Officer, 15 November 2012
NEHAWU condemns the butchering of innocent Palestinians, in the Gaza Strip, by the Israeli military that has resulted in over 13 deaths including three young children.We welcome the efforts by the Egyptian government to offer assistance to the injured and also to try and broker a peace deal to end this bloodbath.
This violence started after the Israeli soldiers invaded Gaza and during their exchange of gunfire with Palestinian fighters, a 12-year-old boy was killed by an Israeli bullet while he was playing soccer.
After that the Israelis started shelling at Gaza with their bombs landing in a soccer field killing two children, aged 16 and 17. Later, an Israeli tank fired at a tent where mourners had gathered for a funeral, killing two more civilians, and wounding more than two dozen others.
We call on the United Nations Security Council that is currently in session to take strong measures to stop these war crimes that are committed against the Palestinians. The Israeli military has unleashed a multitude of sophisticated arms including aircraft, tanks and naval gunboats, against the innocent man, women and children.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is using this conflict to campaign for upcoming elections in January; he’s using a well-used trick of shoring-up his 'security' credentials to secure victory by instigating a conflict in Gaza in order to pacify the Zionists.
The racist Zionist regime is trying to ensure that the Gaza Strip is inhabitable by denying its residents of water, education, and healthcare.
NEHAWU calls on all the workers of the world to unite in fighting the injustices and show the international community’s commitment to peace.
We call on more countries, businesses, organisations and individuals to join the struggle for the emancipation of Palestinians and participate in the efforts to isolate apartheid Israeli.
Issued by NEHAWU Secretariat Office
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Deputy Minister Fransman hosting Irish Minister of State for Trade and Development
Mr Clayson Monyela, Spokesperson for DIRCO, 15 November 2012
The Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Mr Marius Fransman and Mr Joe Costello, the Minister of State for Trade and Development of Ireland, meet in Cape Town today, 15 November 2012, to co-chair the third session of the South Africa-Ireland Partnership Forum.
The Partnership Forum was established in 2004 with the signing of a Declaration of Intent aimed at placing bilateral relations on a coherent and structured footing. Since then, it has met twice, in 2006 in South Africa and in 2009 in Ireland.
Bilateral relations between South Africa and Ireland are excellent and, in this context, the Partnership Forum will provide the opportunity to the two sides to review a wide range of political, economic and social issues, both bilateral and multilateral.
The parties will also review the current development cooperation programme with Irish Aid in South Africa which comes to an end this year. In addition, they will consider a new three year programme, from 2013 to 2016, bearing in mind South Africa’s development priorities of education, health, rural development, fighting crime and corruption, and job creation. The South African side will also use the opportunity to highlight the Presidential Infrastructure Programme, including its focus on job creation.
Discussions will further focus on promotion of the African Agenda.
The two sides will take the opportunity to share views on the global economic situation, including the Eurozone crisis, and its effects on their respective economies. They will pay specific attention to strategies to improve trade levels, also in the context of job creation.
South Africa is a net importer of Ireland’s goods and services. South Africa’s basket of imports from Ireland is dominated by value-added goods (R4,6 billion) and its exports to Ireland are mainly primary goods and commodities (R1,2 billion in 2011). Total tourism from Ireland was 29,098 in 2011.
Issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation OR Tambo Building 460 Soutpansberg Road Rietondale Pretoria
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ILO names five countries for serious violations of freedom of association
GENEVA, ILO News, 15 November 2012
The ILO Committee on Freedom of Association has highlighted five out of 32 countries as the most serious and urgent cases concerning the right to organize, collective bargaining and social dialogue.
The ILO has named Argentina, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Fiji and Peru – out of alist of 32 countries examined – as the most serious and urgent cases regarding freedom of association.
The ILO Committee on Freedom of Association examined cases concerning employers’ and trade unions’ rights to organize, collective bargaining and social dialogue.
The ILO supervisory body dealt with the murder of four workers and injury of two others inArgentina. The murders happened during the eviction of over 500 workers, demanding decent housing, from a construction site in Mar del Plata in 2009.
The Committee recalled the importance of an immediate and independent judicial inquiry in such cases to clarify the facts, determine responsibility, punish those responsible and prevent the repetition of such acts. It requested the Government to communicate the outcome of the judicial inquiries underway.
It also examined the murder of three trade union leaders, Chea Vichea, Ros Sovannareth and Hy Vuthy, in Cambodia, which happened between 2004 and 2007. Once again, the Committee strongly urged the Government to carry out independent investigations into the assassinations of these union leaders, punish the guilty parties and bring an end to the climate of impunity in the country.
Turning to Ethiopia, the Committee regretted that, four years after its request for registration, the National Teachers Union (NTA) had still not been registered. It strongly urged the Government to ensure that the appropriate authorities register the NTA, in order to fully guarantee the freedom of association rights of civil servants, including teachers in public schools.
The Committee also asked the Government of Fiji to rapidly discuss the return of an ILO Direct Contacts Mission to the country. Last September, the Fijian government had stopped the ILO from carrying out a mission to verify complaints over the lack of freedom of association made by local trade unions.
The Committee called upon the Government to undertake independent investigations without delay into the allegations of physical assault, harassment and intimidation of trade union leaders and members.
It also considered the case of Peru which concerns allegations of murder of a trade union leader in 2008 in clashes with the police during a protest in the mining sector. As it had not been possible to identify the perpetrators of the act, the Committee asked for further investigations to clarify the facts.
Finally, the ILO supervisory body reviewed the measures taken by the Government of Belarus to implement the 2004 recommendations of an ILO Commission of Inquiry. The Committee deeply regretted that the Government had once again failed to reply to the Committee’s previous recommendations and to the new allegations of freedom of association violations. It urged the Government to be more cooperative in the future.
The ILO body examined 29 other cases and noted with satisfaction that effect had been given to its recommendations in cases related to the reinstatement of trade union members in Colombia and Peru, and the registration of a trade union in Algeria.
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Healing pharmacies-ILO
GENEVA, ILO News Feature, 12 November 2012
As the International Year of Cooperatives draws to an end, ILO News looks at how cooperatives in Turkey offer customers easier and safer access to medicines.
Fatih Başer is a 35 year-old man working as a translator in Istanbul. As is often the case in Turkey, buying affordable and reliable drugs has not always been easy for him.
“In our country, there’s a risk that the products sold on the markets are fake,” he told ILO News. “The price of medicines and other products also has been rising, which only makes matters worse”.
Başer has recently found a small pharmacy that offers quality products at a decent price. The store is part of a network of small pharmacies that is helping to change the drug industry in Turkey in a big way.
“I have been buying my drugs here for the last 5 years mainly because I trust the pharmacist. If I come to the cooperative pharmacy, I know that I will get the original product, not a fake, still at an affordable price,” he says.
Abdullah Özyiğit is the head of the Association of All Pharmacists Cooperatives in Turkey. The 45 year-old pharmacist from the Mediterranean city of Mersin is proud of what has been achieved since the association was created in 1989.
“We now have a network of 13,000 pharmacies all over Turkey providing jobs to 40,000 people. Our reputation comes from the quality of our service, especially when delivering drugs that are urgently needed,” he explains.
“Also, our pharmacists are all trained professionals so people appreciate the fact that they can ask for reliable advice and avoid buying products that can be very dangerous for their health.”
A changing business for changing times
At the end of the 70’s in Turkey, drug supplies depended largely on imports. Wholesalers only wanted to do business with pharmacies that could pay in foreign currency, which was in short supply. “Many pharmacies went out of business at that time,”Özyiğit recalls.
That’s what led to the creation of the Association of Pharmacists’ Cooperatives. Now small pharmacies can team up with others and benefit from the collective purchasing power of cooperatives.
Because cooperatives are not driven by profit, some of the earnings are redistributed to the employees, who receive a social benefits package that is much better than what employees generally get in Turkey.
The association and its cooperatives were put to the test during the global economic crisis, which hit Turkey quite hard, but they fared comparatively well.
“We were affected by the crisis since customers were buying less, but we managed to keep our share of the market,partly because we provided financial management training to our members to help them stay in business… In some cases, we also suggested that they sell other types of products in order to stay open,”Özyiğitsays.
The cooperatives werealso able to sharply reduce their members’ fuel costs by negotiating significant discounts on fuel. Again, this was possible thanks to their collective purchasing power.
More can be done
Özyiğit believes that cooperatives need to be better known in Turkey. ”Cooperatives are a very good model that should be further promoted by our government,” he says. “If this happens, then cooperatives could further develop in other areas such as agriculture, health, education and insurance.” There are nearly 85,000 cooperatives in Turkey with 8.1 million members.
“The example of pharmacists’ cooperatives in Turkey is a story that could give ideas to other countries which still struggle to provide their population with safe and affordable drugs,” says Simel Esim, head of the ILO’s Cooperative Branch.
“The International Year of Cooperatives that will end on November 19-20 in New York has provided the world with an opportunity to highlight the work done by millions of cooperatives. They are institutions that can bring out the best in humans. In these times of crisis and change,they can make a huge difference in people’s lives”, she concludes.
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Speech of WFTU GS, 15 Nov 2012 -The theories about the “independence and neutrality”
George Mavrikos, General Secretary of WFTU, 15 November 2012
The reactionary changes globally over the last 20 years and the temporary dominance of the forces of capital and reformism at the political and ideological levels revived old theories about the “independence” and the “neutrality” of the trade unions.
These perceptions claim that the coordination of the struggle of the workers in a class-oriented direction limits this struggle, subordinates it to political priorities and traps it into paths that are not serving the interests of the working class of each respective country.
Naturally, the forces of capital and their supporters in the reformist trade unions are not only satisfied by such perceptions, but promote them and maintain them as, supposedly, modern and progressive.
In no case are these theories new theories. They are old theories. Such theories were expressed in the interior of the WFTU, even from the first Congress in 1945 in Paris, when the representatives of some trade unions, in particular the British and the Dutch, demanded that WFTU remain neutral towards the issue of colonialism, using the fraudulent excuse that “it is not a trade union issue”.
The confrontation was hard. The British and the Dutch were vehemently confronted by trade union leaders like the Indian S.A Dange, the Cuban Lazaro Pena, the Chinese Liu Chang Cheng, the Soviet Kuznetsov and others. After the vote, the resolution of the founding Congress of the WFTU says: “it would have been an uncomplete victory if the people of the colonies and the territories of all the countries were deprived by their rights in self-determination and national independence.”
At each historic turn and retreat, the trade union movement had to confront such voices that urged it to adjust to “the new realities”. Historical experience, however, proves that the great achievements of the trade unions and the working class have been accomplished when the trade unions were guided in their economic struggle by a clear orientation regarding the final objectives of the class struggle, when they strengthened their international proletarian coordination in opposition to the internationalized forces of capital and its agents in the trade union movement. The degeneration of trade union leaderships, such as the one of CGT France or CGIL Italy, who were once class-oriented and rooted in the factories and the working places, is a result of such a retreat from the historical lessons of the class struggle. And the problem is not the degeneration and bankruptcy of the trade union bureaucracy, but the illusions that it cultivated in the working masses, the disarming of honest militants, the orientation towards “social partnership” and “class conciliation and peace”.
This is why several specific questions are worth answering once more.
a) “Independence” and “neutrality” vis-a-vis the final goals of the struggle of the proletariat for the overthrow of capitalism and the abolition of the exploitation of human by human?
Although the trade unions can certainly not initiate such a revolutionary change, only through such a change will they accomplish their basic objective.
The current full-frontal attack of capital against the achievements of the working class, its effort to exit from the economic crisis by shifting the burden on the workers, prove that any achievements and gains of the economic struggle can only be defensive, temporary and in danger of being reversed, if they are not linked to the broader class struggle for a different power which will work exclusively in favor of the working class and its allies.
Isolated from such a political struggle, the trade unions can only develop within the working masses an economistic consciousness, which is doomed to be subordinated to bourgeois ideology, as it aims only to improve the position of the working class within the framework of capitalism; as it exhausts the objectives of the working class only to the financial improvement, either of the salaries or of the pensions etc.
Those are improvements that the governments can cancel at once e.g though the taxation of the working people. For this reason, the pioneer representatives of the working class, Marx and Engels, already in the middle of the 19th century, underlined the necessity for the workers to struggle not only against the consequences of the capitalist system, but, at the same time, against the system itself.
They highlighted the role of the trade unions as “an organized force for the overcoming of the system of wage labour and capital”.
Historical experience itself has clearly shown that only where the economic struggle of the working class in the trade unions was harmoniously combined with the political struggle for power, in coordination with the respective revolutionary parties, was it possible to abolish the exploitation of human by human. Such a combination in the struggle, not only does not limit it, but it facilitates wider strata of the working class to overcome superstitions and illusions, to free themselves from bourgeois ideology, to help in the construction of a real United Front of the working class towards the promotion of its common interests. Such a unified movement cannot be built through artificial welding or high-level agreements, but only in a direction of revolutionary change of society.
b) “Independence” and “neutrality” vis-a-vis the proletariat of other countries and its class-oriented trade union organizations?
During the last two centuries, the needs of capital for more and more markets for its commodities pushed it to expand in all corners of the globe. “The bourgeoisie has, through its exploitation of the world market, given a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption in every country” (Communist Manifesto).
The internationalization of capital, which has intensified and multiplied since then, in the era of the transnational monopolies and imperialism, has added new tasks and duties to the working class, aside from the old ones.
The labour movement wrote in its flags, next to the slogan for the abolition of the exploitation, the slogan: “proletarians of all countries, unite.”
Does this erase the old tasks of the working class in each country? No! The struggle of the working class against capital is (at least in form) first of all national. The proletariat of each country must finish its “business” first and foremost with the bourgeoisie of its own country.
However, the internationalization of capital’s activities creates new necessities for an international coordination of the action of the working class to confront: the common global strategy of the capitalists against the workers (IMF, EU, World Bank, OECD etc.), the activity of the large monopoly groups in many countries globally, the intensified danger for armed conflicts and human sacrifices of the working class, due to rivalries between the different parts of capital.
Does this international coordination of the proletariat abolish the peculiarities and the particularities of the class struggle in each country?
The class-oriented trade union movement and its international organizations never underestimated the particular tasks that the uneven development of capitalism in the various countries forces upon them. However, they never feared to highlight the common principles and objectives that ought to be the background of each consistent class struggle and that determinately unify the interests and the action of the proletariat internationally.
In our days, the hypocrisy of all the opportunist forces in the trade union movement has been exposed. Look at the positions taken on the imperialist attack against Libya in 2011, when 135,000 people were killed.
The leadership of ITUC, the trade union leaderships of CGT France, of CGIL Italy and others like the British TUC, the German DGB, trade unions from Netherlands, from Sweden, supported the imperialist war. Why?
Their main goal was for the bourgeoisie in their own country to win a bigger share from the plundering of the oil, the natural gas and other wealth-producing resources of Libya. From this plundering of the wealth of another People, the opportunists take a small share, through privileges or through their salaries.
See the position of the sold-out leadership of CCOO Spain in the crisis that took place on April 2012 between the two states of Argentina and Spain, when there was a threat for a military confrontation triggered by the “nationalization” of the Spanish monopoly Repsol-YPF by the government of Argentina. This Spanish monopoly is stealing for 14 years the oil of Argentina.
The CCOO agreed officially and in writing with the Spanish government, the capitalist owners of Repsol-YPF, with the European Commission and with all the other thieves involved! Why?
Because it gains from the plundering of the natural resources and the exploitation of the working class of Argentina. Though salaries, though privileges, it gets a share of the loot.
In both the abovementioned examples, the hypocrisy of the opportunists who only in words talk about international solidarity and internationalism, while in reality they exploit the international proletariat, is obvious.
c) “Neutrality” of a class-oriented trade union towards the WFTU and the ITUC?
The necessity of struggle of the working class in each country against the power of capital itself (not only against its results) and the necessity of international coordination in the same direction make it clear that the above question must be answered in the negative.
The position and the actions of ITUC and its basic organizations at the national level prove that they have nothing to do with the real defense of working class interests, even the immediate defensive ones, let alone the long-term ones.
So, no class-oriented trade union that respects its role and its mission, no true trade unionist who wants to remain part of his class, can be captured in such a fraudulent dilemma.
No one can claim that “our union is.. independent and decides on its own”. This means it decides on its own to be with the servants of the IMF and the World Bank?
What do all these excuses mean?
Whom do they convince? No one!
The same mistake is done by some comrades who propose the unification of WFTU and the ITUC! This is as if someone would propose the unification of a revolutionary communist party with a social-democratic one, or even with an ultra right-wing one.
Like someone would try to unite oil with water.
The workers have to realize that WFTU and ITUC have two different historic roots, two different strategies, different objectives, different ideologies and theoretical basis. It is impossible to unite these two distinct lines, the one promoting the struggle against Capital and Imperialism and the one leading to subordination to the objectives of Capital and of Imperialism.
However, if we do assume that at some point some bureaucratic leaderships would move forward with such a process of artificial welding, it is for sure that the next moment, the process for a new international class-oriented organization would begin, because its existence is an objective necessity.
A general conclusion
All these theories that come and go have as a central aim to justify the retreat, the compromises, the abandonment of the principles of the class struggle. They have as an aim to create excuses for the collaboration of trade union leaderships with the monopolies and their governments.
Finally, all these efforts aim to hide from the ordinary people the truth: that those trade union leaderships have lost any contact with the real interests of the working class and that, at the same time, they are dangerous for the working class of the other countries.
We have the duty to expose in the eyes of the workers those trade union leaderships and that political line. Until we drive away all those types of “leaders” from the trade unions, as Lenin was writing and underlining.
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Port dispute on maritime union conference agenda in New Zealand
International Transport Workers’ Federation, 15 November 2012
The ongoing dispute over a collective agreement at the Ports of Auckland was among the key topics discussed at a conference of the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) last week.
The subject was highlighted at the union’s fourth triennial conference in Wellington. The national union and international guests restated their commitment to ensuring that MUNZ workers secure a fair collective agreement. Later in the week it was revealed that the company Ports of Auckland Ltd (POAL) broke confidentiality by disclosing details of negotiations with the MUNZ that were taking place through a facilitation process. This disclosure is understood to be in breach of the country’s Employment Relations Act.
MUNZ national president Garry Parsloe stated that POAL’s actions had made it “very hard to negotiate in good faith with an employer who will not meet their legal obligations." The union will be issuing proceedings about this continued breach of good faith.
Other topics on the conference agenda included the union’s numerous campaigns ranging from opposing port privatisation, promoting secure jobs rather than casualisation and advocating for more stringent health and safety regulations in the maritime industry.
MUNZ general secretary Joe Fleetwood said the union would continue to play a leading role in advancing the interests of maritime workers and the wider working class. It had strengthened its alliances with the global union movement, and was hosting a number of international delegates and speakers at the conference.
These included the president of the International Transport Workers' Federation and secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia, Paddy Crumlin.
Other international delegates included senior figures from the US-based International Longshore and Warehouse Union, the International Longshoreman’s Association.
For more information, visit:https://www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/Auckland-wharfies.cfm
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German union delegation joins DHL Turkey picketline
International Transport Workers’ Federation, 14 November 2012
A delegation from a German ITF-affiliated union has travelled more than 2,000 kilometres to Turkey to visit sacked DHL workers on their picketline.
The Verdi delegation visit to Turkey on 6 November was prompted by the fact that the dismissal of 30 DHL workers in Turkey for their trade union involvement is tolerated at company headquarters in Bonn, Germany.
Kenan Öztürk, president of the union backing the workers Türkiye Motorlu Tasit Isçileri Sendikasi, confirmed this as he recalled: "When I talked to the chief human resources officer of DHL in Turkey Riza Balta, he told me that Bonn, the parent company Deutsche Post DHL, did not want a union at DHL in Turkey and that he would stick to this requirement."
In a solidarity message from the five-member delegation to the picketline in Esenyurt, Verdi expressed its support for the protesting workers. Stefan Teuscher who is responsible for collective bargaining at the union told the workers that Verdi would not allow DHL to manage its Turkish branch through fear and intimidation. “DHL needs to work together with the union like it does in Germany and sign a collective agreement," he said.
The Verdi delegation visit coincided with support from the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF), the ITF’s European arm, and the European Parliament Socialists and Democrats group when Eduardo Chagas, ETF general secretary and Evelyn Regner, Austrian member of the European Parliament also joined the picketline.
Regner stated that the European Parliament was behind the workers and that collective bargaining and freedom of association across Europe were being closely monitored. Meanwhile Chagas said that millions of workers in transport both in Europe and the rest of the world were supporting the workers.
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Crisis not an excuse for cuts in development cooperation spending
Education International, 14 November 2012
The EI annual Development Cooperation (DC) meeting gathered 37 participants from 13 countries on 12-13 November in Brussels, Belgium. One of the six sessions allowed participants to take stock of the impact of the economic crisis on DC funding and activities, and discuss solutions.
“This meeting’s agenda has been developed around the impact of the economic and financial crisis on development cooperation,” said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen in his opening remarks. “There is a strong need to develop new strategies to mitigate the effects of this crisis.”
New EI initiatives pushing DC work forward
Van Leeuwen underlined three crucial initiatives in DC in education:
· The organisers’ network, showing that EI tries to mobilise expertise available in member organisations to develop strategies
· Occupy Education, helping affiliates become better equipped to engage in social dialogue with governments
· Encouraging member organisations to be involved in the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)
“Capacity-building is the best-funded part of EI programme budget,” van Leeuwen acknowledged. “In Burma, for example, it is vital to step up our work to support the emerging trade unions movement. We have to start from scratch in this country.”
Elsewhere, in Brazil and Argentina, education unions are becoming major actors in DC and the participation of their trade unions’ representatives at the meeting was highlighted.
Van Leeuwen also indicated that EI will continue with its regional women’s networks, as they are very valuable tools in its work. And he reminded participants about the UN Secretary General’s Education First Initiative, reiterating that it is important to progress towards the EI five priorities.
Canada: Crisis an excuse to cut DC spending
Richard Langlois from the Centrale de Syndicats du Québec(CSQ) was the first speaker at the meeting’s first Session on The Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on Development Cooperation.
“In Canada, the Official Development Assistance (ODA) was reduced by 5.3 per cent in 2011, for the first time since 1997,” he said. “The objective of spending 0.7 per cent of the Canadian GDP is becoming less likely. There is a general decrease in ODA in almost all countries, despite governmental commitments towards the realisation of Millennium Development Goals by 2015.”
He stated that this is not a question of economic crisis: “It is just an excuse for the government to pursue its political agenda.”
In 2011, CSQ lost CAD200,000 for DC activities.
Langlois also deplored the fact that the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) follows governmental priorities linked to government foreign and trade policies - and trade unions must wait for the CIDA to launch a call for proposals to submit a project proposal.
Last year, he explained, no trade union benefited from a grant from this agency, and a number of partnerships with Southern countries had to be terminated.
On 13 November, CSQ, along with other education unions and an NGO, the International Labour Solidarity Centre, held a press conference to urge the conservative government to undertake more DC work.
CSQ also supports the creation of a new Quebecois agency. It will engage in the creation of consortia with NGOs and other Quebecois trade unions, and look for other sources of autonomous funding for DC activities.
Nederlands: Finding other sources of funding for DC activities
Trudy Kerperien, from AOb/Netherlands, stated that in her country, the economic crisis is just an excuse to cut more in DC funding: “But for at least 10 years, there has already been a poor climate and a campaign by political forces against DC relayed by the media.”
Negative press coverage has portrayed ODA in such a way that many people think the expenses represent 20 per cent of the national budget, which is false.
“An evaluation of 10 years of DC activities on education has been held, but decisions have already been taken as if the results were negative,” Kerperien said. “But they are in fact up to 95% positive.”
Because the DC budget has been more than halved, the Netherlands needs to change its strategies, she underlined.
She said that the confederation, of which AOb is a member, still has a DC budget, although this budget, provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, covers limited countries and areas – education is not officially recognised. Also, AOb can use its own trade union solidarity fund, as 0.7 per cent of the membership fees go to DC activities. It is therefore a small, but stable and growing fund.
“The Confederation now tries to find other sources of founding, like receiving inheritances, or fund-raising from members,” Kerperien said. “They seek cooperation with ‘unusual’ donors, i.e. with a lottery, or cooperation with other NGOs.”
She added that AOb is shifting its focus in DC work: “We now focus on effective short-term actions, triggering things for later. We try to connect southern partners among themselves, so that it’s more effective. And we support partners in finding their own way of financing plans.”
Canada: negative effects of cuts in DC
During the session, Alex Davidson from the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) raised the issue of pensions, saying that pension funds are currently under a lot of pressure.
“The CIDA turned into an organisation working for corporations,” he said. “Trade unions and teachers’ organisations do not receive these funds.”
He also noted that the effect of this shift in CIDA objectives on education in Canada and abroad is profound, leading to commodification and teacher deprofessionalisation.
Davidson said that there is a considerable temptation to develop short-sighted aims that would pervert values or established good practices.
Stressing that CTF is looking at other sources of funding, as its autonomy in DC activities is in jeopardy, he explained that funds can come from foundations having an acceptable agenda. He added that he agrees with the idea of looking more at South/South cooperation and capacity-building initiatives.
“It’s important that CTF remains a force in Canada,” he said. “We must remain strong, united and seek alliances in civil society. Public opinion changes when there is a broad-based understanding for development work.”
Building consortia at European level
Martin Rømer, the Director of EI European region, the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), indicated that only a few European countries are currently able to do DC work.
“We must look for new funds and adapt to a changing world,” Rømer said. “ETUCE tries to help affiliates in Eastern European countries. We look into neighbourhood policies programmes, structural funds, among others, for funding.”
He acknowledged that often, it is too complicated for organisations alone to apply for European funds. There is therefore a need to build consortia.
“What are the possibilities of being big enough to get sustainable money?” he asked. “We must advise affiliates to work more at national level to form foundations or consortia. We also need to explore the EuropeAid programme in its full extent, and make sure that education is mentioned in concrete agreements as an area of work.”
He regretted that, sometimes, trade unions must get national agreement to receive European funding. And this can be a problem if the Government opposes such a move.
Rømer added that private funds from foundations must be explored. He called on affiliates to be clearer in their aims, and reform DC structures.
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South African workers' protest violently put down at Xstrata
Anita Gardner, IndustriALL Global Union Director of Communications,14.November 2012
In the third incident of violent police action at Xstrata’s South African Kroondal operations in a week, police fired on mineworkers during a protest on 13 November, arresting 37 including shop stewards.
Workers went on an unprotected strike when Xstrata failed to take action against a white manager at its Kroondal chrome mine after he assaulted a black worker allegedly for refusing to sign a wage deal without union representation.
On 2 November, 400 striking workers, roughly two thirds of the workforce, were dismissed but protest action continued. On 8 November, police violently broke up the protest firing rubber bullets, injuring 8 workers, one critically, and arresting several workers. Injured workers are unable to access medical care as Xstrata has suspended their medical aid.
The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) suspected that some police might have fired live ammunition at protestors, however the union was being denied access to injured and arrested workers to establish this.
Then on 12 November, police shot at protestors chasing them into the township whilst continuing to fire on the fleeing workers. Police shot one of the workers at close range in front of a local ward counsellor that was there to assist with resolving the dispute. Three workers were arrested.
Numsa reports that police have denied the union access to arrested workers, requiring lawyers to intervene. There are also allegations made by arrested workers of police brutality whilst in detention.
Numsa has criticised the police for intervening in what is an industrial relations matter that needs to be resolved through negotiations with the union. “Xstrata calls in the police to do their dirty work, who without even assessing the situation, shoots at workers and chases them,” says Steve Nhlapo of Numsa. “Workers were not undisciplined in their protest but police are using excessive force and trying to intimidate them into submission but this is only making workers more angry.”
Numsa proposed that in order to resolve the matter to the satisfaction of workers, the manager could be suspended pending a hearing by an independent arbitrator. Xstrata maintains that an internal hearing found that there was insufficient evidence to discipline the manager and mine management are refusing to budge on the matter.
Meanwhile workers at Xstrata’s three ferrochrome smelters in South Africa are also on strike, demanding higher wages and transport allowance. Xstrata is attempting to have workers sign individual contracts in an attempt to undermine Numsa and the resolve of striking workers.
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CFMEU strikes at Rio Tinto mine
Anita Gardner, IndustriALL Global Union Director of Communications, 14.November 2012
Mining giant Rio Tinto is showing its anti-union character once again. In closing its Australian Blair Athol mine the company is paying lower redundancy packages to CFMEU union members than to other workers.
The discriminatory measure is being countered by three consecutive shift-length work stoppages across 36 hours at the mine on 13-14 November. The thermal coal mine in central Queensland’s Bowen Basin is closing operations on 23 November after 30 years, letting go almost 170 workers. The mine was once Australia’s largest thermal coal export mine.
The IndustriALL-affiliated CFMEU called the low redundancy payments a "parting shot of discrimination”.
On the overwhelming vote in favour of industrial action, CFMEU District Vice President Glenn Power stated:
All our members are looking for is equality. Workers don't take the prospect of strike action lightly, but when faced with a much lower redundancy package than someone they've worked alongside for years, these workers are determined to tell Rio that the company can't get away with this.
As CFMEU members downed tools at Blair Athol, Rio Tinto Australia managing director David Peever called for unions to be kicked out of workplaces all together with reform of the Fair Work Act,
Direct engagement between companies and employees, flexibility and the need for improved productivity has to be at the heart of the system.
Only then can productivity and innovation be liberated from the shop floor up, and without the competing agenda of a third party constantly seeking to extend its reach into areas best left to management.
Rio Tinto, the world's second biggest iron ore producer, continues toward plans to spend almost AUS$16 billion to increase iron ore production in Australia’s Pilbara to 353 million tonnes a year by mid-2015. Rio Tinto is a “repeat offender” that has a pattern of destructive behaviour across the globe.
Comment
More than 70 per cent of workers lack unemployment protection
ILO Analysis , 14 November 2012
The recent global economic crisis has served as a stark reminder of why unemployment insurance matters. But the reality is that fewer than half of almost 200 countries monitored by the ILO offer such protection.
GENEVA (ILO News) – More than 70 per cent of workers worldwide have no statutory access to unemployment insurance or any type of unemployment assistance, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has said.
Unemployment insurance schemes exist in 72 countries out of 198 monitored by the ILO, most of them being middle- and high-income countries.
The proportion of unemployed workers without any such income security is even higher (86 per cent) if one includes those who haven’t paid social security contributions long enough to qualify for unemployment benefits, as many unemployment insurance schemes are based on contributions.
More than 86 per cent of the almost 40 million people who dropped out of the labour market since 2008 found themselves without a regular income from one day to the other.” |
“This means that more than 86 per cent of the almost 40 million people who dropped out of the labour market since 2008 found themselves without a regular income from one day to the other,” says ILO social protection expert Florence Bonnet.
Young people are particularly affected. If they become unemployed after a short period of having entered the labour market, then they might not have paid into social security long enough to qualify for unemployment benefits.
Only 16 countries provide income support for unemployed young people as first-time jobseekers.
Huge regional differences
Unemployment social security coverage varies widely between world regions.
The proportion of unemployed receiving unemployment benefits can be as high as 80 per cent or more in Western Europe, North America, and Central and Eastern Europe, while it can drop to less than 10 per cent in Africa.
It is less than 40 per cent in Latin America and the Caribbean, and less than 20 per cent in the Middle East and Asia.
In fact, these variations reflect the different shares of employees in formal employment as a proportion of the total employment.
Unemployment benefits also made it easier for unemployed workers to look for a job.” |
“With higher levels of economic development, many middle-income countries have realized the need to introduce systems of unemployment protection in order to facilitate structural economic transitions and respond to shocks,” says Bonnet.
She cites the Republic of Korea as an example. The country introduced unemployment insurance in 1995, shortly before the Asian financial crisis of 1997.
“The scheme has also helped the country absorb the repercussions of the recent global economic crisis in a more systematic and effective way,” she adds.
Unemployment insurance as crisis manager
According to Bonnet, it was not only in South Korea that unemployment benefits played a key role during the crisis.
“Countries with unemployment protection and similar schemes, ideally combined with active labour market policies, have been able to react to the crisis quicker and in a more effective way than countries without such automatic stabilizers,” she explains. “Unemployment benefits also made it easier for unemployed workers to look for a job.”
In more developped countries, unemployment protection schemes helped most workers and employers adapt to the sudden drop in demand, while helping to secure incomes and maintain consumption.
Germany and Austria are good examples. They also facilitated economic recovery through a combination of social insurance and social assistance schemes.
More recently, countries such as Thailand and Viet Nam have started to provide such protection for certain groups of workers. While there is far to go in terms of stimulating global demand, the impact for workers concerned has been dramatic.
Announcements
South African Labour Bulletin coming Edition
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IndustriALL Affiliates take action to STOP PRECARIOUS WORK
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The 18th session of the Conference of the Parties coming at Doha, Qatar
The 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and the 8th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol will take place from Monday, 26 November to Friday, 7 December 2012 at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha, Qatar.
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Living Wage Campaign; Bargaining for a Living Wage
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PSI World Congress in Durban, South Africa; 27-30 November 2012
MEDIA INVITATION
Theme: ‘Working in the people’s interest’
Advancing social justice through quality public services and trade union rights
An estimated 1000 union leaders from around the world will gather for the 29th World Congress of the global union federation Public Services International in Durban, South Africa from 27-30 November 2012. Under the banner In the people’s interest, PSI members will set policy and action plans on key issues concerning trade union rights and advancing public services for the common good.
Public Services International is a global trade union federation representing 20 million working women and men who deliver vital public services in 150 countries. PSI champions human rights, advocates for social justice and promotes universal access to quality public services. PSI works with the United Nations system and in partnership with labour, civil society and other organisations.
The PSI World Congress will be hosted by the following affiliates: Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA); Health and Other Service Personnel Trade Union of South Africa (HOSPERSA); National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (NEHAWU); National Public Service Workers Union (NPSWU); National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (NUPSAW); Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU); South African Democratic Nurses Union (SADNU); South African Municipal Workers Union (SAMWU).
The details of the congress are as follows:
Date: 27-30 November 2012
Venue: Durban International Convention Centre
Members of the media are hereby invited to attend and report. For the media to obtain authorized accreditation in order to attend congress proceedings, please complete and return this media accreditation application form by emailing it to
For further information, please contact: Sizwe Pamla (NEHAWU Media Liaison Officer) at 011 833 2902 - 082 558 5962 or email: siz...@nehawu.org.za
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Norman Mampane (Communications Officer)
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 or Direct 010 219-1342
Mobile: +27 72 416 3790
E-Mail: mam...@cosatu.org.za
