Messages from members to congress delegates:Mpumalanga delegates to the regional congress discuss National Congress matters (above)
Don't forget to talk about congress resolutions! NUMSA national congress is coming. Preparations are in progress, but what worries me is that every local or regional shop steward is talking about the leadership and those discussions lead to character assassination of each other.
Seemingly, comrades forget to discuss about the congress resolutions that will affect our membership like education, the constitution, alliance etc.
Comrades, I plead to all shop stewards to prepare thoroughly using the secretariat report distributed to all locals and after that elect the leadership that will serve the interests of the membership not the leaders who want to promote their personal interests.
Choose leaders that have principles and that can make Numsa no.1 in Cosatu and in the world.
The ANC document called Eye of the needle can help shop stewards choose leaders. ALUTA!!!Sivato Nkomonye – Scaw Metals, (Manyathi Local Ekurhuleni)
Not just about leadership!“We hope this congress will not only be about leadership but real issues of concern for workers to address.†New shop steward in the Western Cape talking in a regional workshop
Let's rise above the leadership discussion!“History has taught us that most of our time we are embroiled in who should the leadership be.
Surely the mighty Numsa must rise above this and start to think on what is important to us? What is our vision – is it still the same, has the road to socialism disappeared?
When are we implementing resolutions that affect us directly, such as the conference of the left? More and more labour brokers are taking over permanent jobs; let's debate BEE to the cost of decent work, let's talk of meaningful changes to the LRA to eradicate the use of labour brokers.
As always I do have the confidence that our union will make the right decisions to ensure this historical union will continue to play a leading role in ensuring workers' bread and butter issues are being taken care of.â€
Experienced shop steward from the Western Cape talking in a regional workshop.
Stick to congress traditions!Our 4th congress in the World Trade Centre debated the resolution – nationalisation with or without compensation constructively.
Regions failed to convince each other until it was put to the vote. We must bring back that rich history before the union takes the wrong direction.
Congress then was not about the number of delegates per region – it was all about how the regions have prepared their delegates to articulate their regional positions.
The former Border region had only 14 delegates but they led the debate in the congress.
The key question that congress must debate is where did we lose that rhythm? What can we do to develop our current shopfloor leadership to be on a par with our rich history?Congress needs to debate the issues of:* policies that respond to the current crisis of globalisation* the non-scheduled and scheduled workers in the engineering industry* the growing move by employers to try and move their businesses out of Numsa's sectors* the new metalworkers that are joining Numsa straight from tertiary institutions without the background history of a revolutionary trade union movement.Peter Thobejane, local organiser, Kempton Park local
To outgoing national leadership we say Insimbi ayigobiYou have done a wonderful job. Cde president (Mtutuzeli Tom) for all the years that you have served your people, we say u khole o khokhobe.
You led us through thick and thin, you have survived all kinds of weather. You took us to Mafikeng congress as a president and general secretary and made it happen.
To the incoming national leadership, president in particular:We believe that out of Numsa's crucible, its melting pot where leaders are cooked, someone will emerge to carry our hopes, aspirations, desires, dreams for a better, healthy, informed and strong Numsa in our country and throughout the black continent.
Oupa Machacha and Isaya Maduma, Hawker Siddeley, former local office bearers Manyathi local, Ekurhuleni
Source
Numsa News