*NUMSA Press Statement – 17 May 2010 * * *
*Insimbi ayigobi – 23 years of relentless struggles!* * Inspired by the triumph of the Bolshevik Revolution!* ** 23 years ago, on 17 May 1987, the *NATIONAL UNION OF METALWORKERS OF SOUTH AFRICA* (Numsa) was launched in South Africa. It was exactly 70 years after the triumph of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia led by Vladimir Lenin. Throughout the world, working people and the poor were inspired by the 1917 Russian Revolution. For the first time in history, workers and peasants had successfully overthrown the bourgeoisie, and embarked upon a Socialist revolution. The advances made in our country over the last 16 years would not have been possible without 23-years of unbroken worker struggles in South Africa. *Our contribution * ** Over the past 23 years, Metalworkers in South Africa have been: - The pioneers of One Country – One Federation; One Industry – One Union – from the early 1970s were in the forefront of struggles to form a strong union for metalworkers in South Africa. Our predecessors played a crucial role in the formation of FOSATU in 1979, and later Cosatu in 1985. - A union of revolutionary theory and learning – as a revolutionary trade union formation, we have always taken collective learning, analysis, discussion and debates very seriously. - A union of mass mobilization – from our formation, we led community struggles against apartheid’s poor housing and rent boycotts. - A union of fighters and martyrs – through the bitter years of minority rule, Numsa militants have been amongst the first to sacrifice their lives – Jabulile Ndlovu was killed in 1987 by IFP warlords in Pietermaritzburg, a generation of courageous trade unionists, among them Cde Vuyisile Mini, executed by the apartheid regime. The union of John Gomomo, Phineas Sibiya and Mbuyiselo Ngwenda remembers and salutes all of its heroes and martyrs. - A union of thinkers – it was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the new dispensation - the basic frameworks for the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) and the new training regime were hatched in Numsa’s structures. - An independent thinking union - it is not afraid to stand up for what it believes in even if that means sometimes going against the ruling party that it supports and has helped put in power. - A democratic union in theory and in practice - Numsa’s constitution ensures that its key leaders, its shop stewards, are kept in check by its voters at all times – not just at election time. It wants workers to take their experience of democracy on the shop floor to where they live so that democracy can be spread to all corners of society. As Numsa we are proud to be the bearers of this incredible legacy. It is a legacy that is both an asset, and a responsibility. We cannot as a revolutionary union, or as a component of the Revolutionary Alliance betray the hopes, aspirations and sacrifices embodied in 23 years of unbroken worker struggles. Our 23rd anniversary coincides with negotiations in the auto assembly, tyre manufacturing and motor sectors, a number of steel houses, and Eskom. Our members in these sectors have experienced wage deflation in the past three years and received below average inflation wage increases with the bosses blatantly refusing to offset the loss. In July 2008 the situation worsened with an average inflation of 13.4 percent, and indices of the Consumer Price Index and percentage change for historical metropolitan and other urban areas hitting 15.9 percent for the very low expenditure group, 15.7 per cent for low expenditure group and 14.7 percent for middle expenditure group. At the same time, the Reserve Bank of South Africa (RBSA) was adamant in its policy of narrow inflation targeting, successively hiking interest rates without regard to the impact on the working class and the poor. The wage deflation suffered by our members is consistent with a general fall in workers’ income share since 1994. As we celebrate our 23rd anniversary, large proportions of our members are heavily indebted. Many have lost their jobs during this crisis while others are facing insecurity and the brutality of precarious employment such as under labour brokers. Unemployment affects African families much more than any others. Each week our members share their weekly wages not just with their immediate family but also with more distant relations who have lost their jobs, never had jobs or whose jobs are so poorly paid or insecure that they barely manage to put food on the table. As Numsa, we shall remain true to our 23 years tradition of militancy even under the continually changing and new conditions of struggle. We shall step up our relentless fight for better conditions of work and a living wage. During the present negotiations we will fight with all our capabilities to win among others the following demands. 1. 20 percent wage increase on actual earnings and a minimum of R24 per hour for the lowest paid workers. 2. Forty (40) hour week without loss of pay. 3. Paid time off for training including Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) during working hours. 4. The abolition of labour brokers and transfer of affected workers to primary employers. 5. Five (5) days family responsibility and compassionate leave per occurrence. 6. 100 percent wage guarantee in the event of short time or lay-off. 7. The recognition of sick notes from public hospitals, clinics and recognized traditional healers. 8. Companies comply with the code of good practice on HIV/AIDS as reflected in the employment equity act. 9. Six (6) months paid maternity leave without any loss of benefits. For 23 years we have the workers flag flying high in our country. Shoulder to shoulder with exploited factory-floor workers, with casualised seamstresses and petrol attendants, with the millions of unemployed youth, with the landless, the black-listed and red-lined, with the students who have been financially excluded, with communities battling against poor service delivery, with the HIV positive, with economic refugees from failed states in our region, with all democratic and peace-loving South African workers – we pledge to honour our 23 years legacy. Contact: *Castro Ngobese, Numsa national spokesperson - 072 575 4146 * -- You are subscribed. This footer can help you. Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to this message. 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