Numsa salutes its past and present Presidents and General Secretaries Presidents: D Dube, M Tom General Secretaries: M Mayekiso, E Godongwana , M Ngwenda, P Dantjie, S Nondwangu
…on the launch of Numsa
"Today we have made a mark in history, this mark seems small, this mark looks unimportant, but the metal sector, the power that is at our disposal, the power that we have in our hands is not a small power, comrades." Daniel Dube, the first Numsa president, speaking after his election at Numsa's founding congress in May 1987
… marching to employers
In 1991 when we were marching to Metal Industries House, Moss Mayekiso was still the general secretary, a representative of the employers refused to come and accept the memorandum about our demands from the truck. This is the person that we were negotiating with, but it took us at least an hour before we could convince him to come and pick up the memorandum. He thought that we were going to hit him with traditional weapons. If this is what a member of the council thought, you can imagine what a small employer thought.
Mtutuzeli Tom, Numsa President
…on how the state and employers worked together
The employers and the state put their power together to crush the trade union movement. State machinery could be used at any given moment by employers if they had a dispute with workers. We couldn't go to court. Then if you were locked out by your employer, as soon as you were outside the factory gates, the state would regard that as an illegal gathering and they would arrest you.
Mtutuzeli Tom, Numsa President
…on organising motor workers
When I was regional motor organiser in 1992, I used to visit workers in rural areas. There they appreciate the union much more than workers in the urban area. If you just drop a newspaper or say 'hello', those workers are happy. I travelled in these rural areas, established town committees, and had to sleep in pondokkies wherever I came in a town. I recall in one town the ouens told me, "pasop vir die swart scorpions, hulle is gevaarlik, die vaal scorpions is nie gevaarlik nie."
Fred Petersen, current Numsa regional secretary, Western Cape region
… on the violence in KwaZulu Natal late '80s, early '90s
"I was co-chair of the welcoming committee for Madiba's rally… from then it became a problem. People were asking my wife – 'Is he ANC?' They wanted me and my family to have an IFP card. By 1993… many friends came to my family. They said my family was on the death list and they must leave. They were targeting my family because they couldn't get me."
Samuel Mthethwa, ex-Dunlop shop steward, now ANC MP in KZN legislature
…on the 1992 engineering strike
"We launched a campaign called 'Sukuma Msebenzi'. It became our living wage campaign where the West Rand local was able to mobilise most companies to go on strike. Committees were formed by electing one shop steward per factory. Area rallies were called to mobilise and also to give update reports. These areas were formed by grouping companies who were close to each other."
Evans Mpanza, shop steward at Solid Manufacturing on 1992 strike
Some key events
May 1987
launch of Numsa. Moses Mayekiso elected general secretary although still in jail.
1987
bosses use law to declare engineering strike illegal;
1988
national engineering strike wins May Day and June 16 as paid public holidays
1989
auto workers stage successful demonstrations and work stoppages to force all auto employers to join the new National Bargaining Forum.
1989
tyre industrial council extended to cover all plants across country (except for Dunlop)
1989
Numsa now the biggest single union at the Metal Bargaining Council; Numsa demands and wins conversion of Engineering pension fund to provident fund
1989
Numsa active in massive campaign against proposed amendments to the LRA. The campaign included: short stoppages/demonstrations in all factories on specified day; two-day stayaway; month-long consumer boycott of white shops; ban on overtime.
From late 1980s to early 1990s
Violence between workers supporting Inkatha and those supporting Cosatu intensifies. Many Numsa activists and officials murdered or injured.
1991
25000 auto workers go on strike for 13 days
Nov 1991
Maxwell Xulu, Numsa's President, suspended for being a police informer
During 1991
35 000 engineering workers retrenched
1992
3-week national engineering strike – thousands of workers dismissed after employers challenge legality; employers agree to pay increase on actual rates of pay
1992-1995
motor workers receive no wage increase as employers delay negotiations and try to break the Council
1993
auto employers agree to 5 grades with 10% differentials between grades and agree to agency shop
1993
union adopts three-year bargaining strategy
1994
month-long auto strike to demand 'closure of wage gap'
1994
Many Numsa officials and shop stewards leave Numsa to join government as MPs, Ministers and councillors
1995
Numsa signs first 3-year agreement with the auto sector. Agreement closes the wage gap, provides training and time to report back to members
1997
Numsa general secretary, Enoch Godongwana, leaves to take up post in Eastern Cape government. Ngwenda takes over as GS, Peter Dantjie as Deputy GS
1998
Motor workers come out on strike for the first time ever and stay out for 5 weeks
1999
Numsa GS, Mbuyi Ngwenda, dies after a short illness
Government passes new laws that promote skills training for workers and encourage employment equity
Nationwide shop steward elections
2000
Cosatu launches jobs campaign
1300 workers fired after illegal strike over Numsa's suspension of its shop stewards
Setas replace industry training boards
2001
Numsa begins organisational renewal process
Numsa starts research on causes of job losses in the lead up to the engineering and auto job summits
2003
Engineering agreement extended to entire SA
Agency shop in engineering to start from April
Source
Numsa News