SACTWU WELCOMES 80% VACCINATION RATE IN CLOTHING INDUSTRY
Nazmia Leite
Date: 23 May 2022
Media release: immediate
SACTWU WELCOMES 80% VACCINATION RATE IN CLOTHING INDUSTRY
The COSATU-affiliated Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) welcomes the recent confirmation that an 80% COVID-19 vaccination rate has now been achieved in the South African clothing manufacturing industry.
This is a key implementation outcome of our COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout Campaign Framework Agreement, which we had concluded just over a year ago, on 6 April 2021.
This Framework Agreement had committed our trade union and employers in our industry to work together to achieve a targeted vaccination rate of 80%.
Progress was reported last Tuesday by our clothing industry health care worker clinics' medical staff, at the regular monitoring meeting of our COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout Campaigns Committee (CVRCC).
Our latest CVRCC report shows that out of a total of 45 449 clothing workers registered with our industry's health care worker clinics, 36 685 (i.e 81%) are now fully vaccinated.
This was verified against information recorded on our country's Electronic Vaccination Data System (EVDS) portal.
Importantly, this outcome was achieved through active voluntary encouragement, not compulsion.
This is a tremendous industry-wide achievement. It will certainly help to significantly reduce and/or prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections in our industry.
We thank all our members and their families who have so bravely participated in this very important initiative and consequential significant achievement, as well as our employer counterparts for their constructive co-operation with and contribution to this campaign.
Issued by
André Kriel
SACTWU
GENERAL SECRETARY
If further comment is required, kindly contact SACTWU's National Clothing Sector Co-ordinator and 1st National Organising Secretary, Ms. Bonita Loubser, on cell number 0828006142.
Note: below, for further context and ease of reference, please see our previous media releases regarding this matter.
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23 February 2021
SACTWU ADOPTS 10-POINT PROGRAM IN COVID-19 VACCINE ROLLOUT PROMOTION CAMPAIGN
The COSATU-affiliated Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers' Union (SACTWU) has adopted a 10-Point Program on the COVID-19 vaccine rollout campaign.
This follows a decision by the recent SACTWU National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on 10-12 February 2021, via a virtual platform, where the matter was discussed.
We thank the Minister of Health, Minister Zweli Mkhize, who had addressed our NEC on the matter and who provided us with valuable first hand information regarding the latest developments concerning this issue.
In summary, our NEC resolved that it is very important for our trade union to play a clear, defined, targeted and decisive role to encourage all our members to take the vaccine, as an important next step to combat and defeat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The specific elements of our 10-Point Program regarding this matter, which we are now implementing, are as follows:
1. Educate shop stewards and members about what a vaccine is and what the vaccination rollout program entails, by using social media, information pamphlets, snap video messages and other relevant information dissemination materials and methods.
2. Debunk the myths and misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine.
3. Educate members on how to register to receive the vaccine.
4. Use our Bargaining Councils, union health care facilities and factory clinics to assist with the rollout of administering the vaccine among members.
5. Enter into a Framework Agreement with employers in as many of our sectors as possible, to promote the vaccine rollout campaign.
6. Encourage all members, shop stewards and other SACTWU leadership to take the vaccine.
7. Establish a vaccine query help line for members.
8. Encourage SACTWU leadership to be among the first to take the vaccine and to volunteer time to assist in the rollout campaign.
9. Establish co-operation links with national, provincial and local structures involved in the vaccine rollout campaign.
10. Set a target to achieve an "industry immunity" vaccination rate in our sectors, drawing on industry employee database information.
We are determined to work together with government, private- and public healthcare institutions, trade union formations and non-profit organisations to crush this destructive pandemic.
Issued by
André Kriel
SACTWU
GENERAL SECRETARY
If further information or comment is required, kindly contact any of the following SACTWU National Secretariat members:
Membinkosi Vilina, SACTWU Deputy General Secretary, on cell number 081 585 3798
Bonita Loubser, SACTWU 1st National Organising Secretary on cell number 082 800 7142
Michael Shabalala, SACTWU 2nd National Organising Secretary on cell number 081 782 3753
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6 April 2021
Media release: immediate
SACTWU CONCLUDES COVID-19 VACCINE ROLLOUT CAMPAIGN FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT
The COSATU-affiliated Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers’ Union (SACTWU) has concluded South Africa's first ever COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Campaign Industry Framework Agreement.
It covers the domestic clothing industry.
This Framework Agreement was negotiated under the auspices of the National Bargaining Council for the Clothing Manufacturing Industry of South Africa. It was adopted by a Special Council meeting of the clothing bargaining council, held early this morning.
The Framework Agreement commits the employer- and trade union parties to the clothing bargain council to play a supportive role in the rollout campaign.
Specifically, the parties committed to work with all stakeholders, including National Government and the National Department of Health, to:
- encourage industry leadership and employees to take the vaccine;
- help debunk myths about the COVID-19 vaccine;
- to assist all shop stewards, human resource managers, wage clerks and other industry personnel are trained regarding the issues involved in the vaccine rollout campaign;
- develop a customised industry registration application for the vaccine rollout;
- ensure that there is no employment contract discrimination for current or future employees who take the vaccine or decline to do so;
- make available our industry healthcare clinics, as well as workplace clinics, to assist with the vaccine rollout;
- make appropriate practical arrangements to enable all employees who wish to take the vaccine, to enable them to do so;
- set an "industry immunity target" COVID-19 vaccine administration achievement rate of 80% of all employees in the industry;
- set up an information helpline for industry employees, about the vaccine and its related rollout processes;
- develop a customised workplace guideline plan in how to facilitate the vaccine rollout, and to make it available to all workplaces in the industry;
- co-operate with medical aids operating in our industry to enhance the rollout campaign;
- encourage and assist where we can in the development of a domestic COVID-19 vaccine;
- encourage a target of 80% of our industry panel doctors and industry and workplace healthcare personnel to register and be accredited as vaccinators;
- support initiatives to fast-track the sourcing, quality and quantity of COVD-19 vaccines.
The Framework Agreement was concluded with all of the 5 clothing industry employer associations which are party to the clothing industry bargaining council, and its coverage is national.
SACTWU will now turn its attention to secure similar Framework Agreements in the textile, leather, distribution, agriculture and other sectors where we are organised.
We are pleased that clothing employers have embraced this campaign and have consented to this Framework Agreement, and have contributed constructively to its finally agreed-to terms.
We regard this as an important next step to help combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Issued by
André Kriel
SACTWU
GENERAL SECRETARY
If further information or comment is required, kindly contact:
Membinkosi Villina, SACTWU Deputy General Secretary on cell number 0815853798
Bonita Loubser, SACTWU 1st National Organising Secretary, on cell number 0828007142
Michael Shabalala, SACTWU 2nd National Organising Secretary on cell number 0817823753
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Date: 4 July 2021
Media release: immediate
CLOTHING INDUSTRY HEALTH CARE CLINICS SECURE COVID-19 VACCINATION CERTIFICATION STATUS
Industrial health care clinics in the South African clothing manufacturing industry have been certified as COVID-19 vaccine roll-out campaign sites.
The COSATU-affiliated Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers' Union (SACTWU) welcomes this as an important step forward to significantly ramp up vaccinations of industrial workers in our country.
It is the first industrial health care clinics in the country to be so accredited.
On Friday 3 July 2021, the first vaccination pilot run was conducted at our Bolton Hall health care clinic, situated in the SACTWU building in Durban.
This pilot was completed in collaboration with officials from the Department of Health (DOH), when 15 clothing workers were successfully vaccinated.
Our industry health care clinics are self-managed by our trade union and our employer counterparts, and have been delivering primary healthcare services to SACTWU members for many decades.
The first of these clinics were established as far back as 1942, and are currently managed as a value-added service of the clothing industry bargaining council.
Combined, they have the capacity to vaccinate 6000 workers per week immediately, increasing to at least 15 000 per week within two weeks of commencement.
The next step is for the DOH to allocate the vaccines in appropriate quantities to our clinics and to unlock linkage to the Electronic Vaccine Data System (EVDS), whereafter the full vaccination rollout process is expected to commence in earnest.
This exciting development follows on the recent conclusion of successful negotiations for a historic COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Framework Agreement for our industry, which was signed between SACTWU and all clothing employer associations in April this year.
Part of this Framework Agreement states that we will make available our industry health care clinics and its qualified medical staff to assist with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout campaign.
We regard this as an important development to not only help combat the spread of the pandemic, but also to use the COVID-19 crisis as an opportunity to build infrastructure and medical technical skills to support progress towards the establishment of a National Health Insurance (NHI) in South Africa.
Issued by
André Kriel
SACTWU
General Secretary
If further comment or information is required, kindly contact the SACTWU Deputy General Secretary, Mr Membinkosi Vilina, on cell number 081 5853798
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29 July 2021
Media release: immediate
SACTWU WELCOMES DECISION TO IMMEDIATELY VACCINATE WORKERS WHO ARE OVER 18 YEARS OLD
The COSATU-affiliated Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers Union (SACTWU) welcomes the National Department of Health's (NDOH) decision to immediately open up the COVID-19 vaccination rollout programme for over 18-year old workers.
SACTWU has recently made a public call for this to happen, and is pleased that this is now a concrete reality.
This decisive special exemption for industrial and other workers is despite the previously conveyed decision that general vaccination processes for over 18's will only open from 1st September 2021.
The decision was conveyed in a written circular issued on Monday 26 July 2021, by the Office of the Director of Health. The relevant provision from the circular states as follows:
"Workplace vaccination through Occupation Health Services (OHS) has thus far been restricted to vaccinating according to the national programme age cohorts but this limitation has been lifted in advance of the opening of the last population cohort to include all workers at a workplace over 18 years of age, with immediate effect".
In our view, this excellent development will contribute significantly to our country's focused objective to achieve population immunity as soon as possible.
Importantly, it will also contribute to much needed higher economic productivity, in that the anticipated outcome will boost the health well-being of all workers, the main drivers of productive activity.
We appreciate the role that COSATU has played to achieve this special outcome.
Key now is for the authorities to ensure sufficient vaccine availability to meet the expected and inevitable inoculation increased demand.
We are determined to take full advantage of this opportunity by helping to significantly and immediately ramp up COVID-19 vaccination programs in all the qualifying workplaces where our members are employed.
Issued by
André Kriel
SACTWU
General Secretary
If further information or comment is required, kindly contact Mr Membinkosi Vilina, SACTWU Deputy General Secretary, on cell number 081 585 3798.
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26 November 2021
Media release: immediate
SACTWU WELCOMES INCREASED VACCINATION RATE IN CLOTHING INDUSTRY
The COSATU-affiliated Southern African Clothing & Textile Workers' Union welcomes reports of a high current COVID-19 vaccination rate in the South African clothing industry.
Yesterday, the industry's COVID Vaccination Rollout Co-ordinating Commitee (CVRCC) met in its normal monthly progress tracking meeting.
We received a report about progress with implementation of our clothing industry COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout Campaign Framework Agreement which we had concluded earlier this year, with clothing sector employers.
This Framework Agreement laid the basis of how we will build capacity to self-administer the vaccine to workers in our industry, using our industry's worker health care clinic system.
Our CVRCC report of yesterday showed that, out of a sample of 33 906 persons registered with the clothing industry's health care clinics, a total of 25 107 (or 74%) have now been vaccinated (as at yesterday).
This compares well with the 35% vaccination rate in the country, as at yesterday.
We are pleased with this progress, which brings us within reach of the 80% vaccination rate which our Framework Agreement sets as a target for our industry.
The report also showed that out of 320 hospital admissions recorded, 295 (or 92%) were among workers who are not vaccinated, 21 (or 7%) were partially vaccinated and 4 (or 1%) were fully vaccinated.
Similarly, the report showed that out of 56 COVID-19-related deaths recorded among clothing workers, 49 (or 88%) were among workers who were unvaccinated, 7 (or 13%) were partially vaccinated and 0 fully vaccinated.
We will continue to encourage all our members to get vaccinated, in all sectors where we are organised.
Issued by
André Kriel
SACTWU
GENERAL SECRETARY
If further comment is required, kindly contact one of the following SACTWU representatives:
Membinkosi Vilina, SACTWU Deputy General Secretary, on cell number 081 723 0730
Bonita Loubser, SACTWU 1st National Organising Secretary on cell number 082 800 7142
Michael Shabalala, SACTWU 2nd National Organising Secretary on cell number 081 782 3753