COMMENTSIn February we convened a National Policy Workshop (NPW) to shape our strategies and tactics for the 2007 collective bargaining round. Presentations made there highlighted the huge profits that capital has made in the past period because of the industrial relations stability provided by multi-year agreements. This workshop also noted that we must identify “strategic opportunities” in our sectors that will bring about fundamental transformation at the workplace and at sectoral level. These would include among others:
ensuring that training and skilling of our members takes place
that we democratise the workplace and confront the so-called managerial prerogatives, develop a sectoral framework for companies to consult meaningfully on broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) deals.
The meeting also observed that it was a shame that a Numsa-organised company, Reunert Electrical, will conclude a narrow based BEE deal with four participants to the value of R500 million, and yet employees were given crumbs to the tune of 100 shares each, totaling R9000. In a Numsa press release after the public announcement of this empowerment deal, the Numsa spokesperson called it “gluttony and greed!”.In another deal, DCSA off-loaded its shares from a dealership, Sandown Motors, but did not have the courtesy to inform and consult with the representative union. It seems that white capital seeks to rent black capital to create an impression that they will add value in their companies. In most of these deals, the empowerment partners have neither the operational skills to add value to the company, nor do they contribute to fundamental transformation that benefits ordinary employees. In the sectoral frameworks we are busy developing, we will demand that companies meaningfully consult employees and union representatives in the initial stages of BEE deals, and that such consultations must lead to the conclusion of an “Employee Ownership Scheme” (Esop) that will manage the shares allocated to employees. In the locals, we must convene Local General Meetings (LGMs) to collect demands from you, our members, consolidate them and develop regional policy positions for the NBC scheduled in the third week of April. This is going to be a tough bargaining year. It requires the full backing and support from members. Ask your representative about the LGMs! Let’s try and avoid a shopping listof demands. The more focused we are in this bargaining round, the more we can shake the logic of capital. Think about demands that will bring about fundamental transformation in the workplace and improve your conditions of employment. While wages and other conditions of employment are concluded with the signing of an agreement, the most difficult and complex issues begin thereafter. It is these issues that will bring about fundamental transformation.
On the 20th anniversary of NumsaThe National Task Team is working at full speed to ensure that the preparations for this anniversary are concluded ahead of time in May. In the February Numsa NEC, Numsa regions were requested to finalise their plans on venues, transport and other logistics. It was also decided that members will have to pay a levy of between R2 and R5 to cover additional costs associated with the anniversary. We urge you all to turn up in your thousands. Use these celebrations to reflect on where we come from, and where we want to go as an organization.
On the Political frontThe SACP has released its own discussion document for its July conference. It raises important policy issues and political choices that the Party has to make in this period of the NDR. We urge our activists to interact with this document in their structures and to provide leadership on the policy choices that the Party must make. The January ANC Lekgotla released a revised text of its Strategy and Tactics document. It provides some important strategic shifts in the ideological outlook of the ANC. We must also interact with this document in preparation for the ANC Policy Conference in June and its December National Conference. The Cosatu CEC agreed to set up Task Teams to critique the draft policy papers.If we work together as a united, solid team of trade unionists and activists, you can imagine the difference and impact we could make in the lives of metalworkers and society in general. It will be you, the members and shopstewards who will translate our theme “Challenging the logic of capital through collective bargaining” into something more tangible that can benefit the working class.Let’s now walk our talk! Aluta Continua! The struggle continues!Silumko Nondwangu, general secretary
WINNING LETTERS
Dear Numsa NewsWe must remember that 2007 is a busy year as we are bargaining this year and also the ANC is preparing for its Conference at the end of the year. As workers, we are not forgetting that our sectors are different and I as a worker from the engineering sector, I feel that there is a lot to be done.The first thing is the benefit section. We are only entitled to three days paid compassionate leave. We must demand five days. The long term agreement is also a challenge together with the percentage that is agreed upon. I also feel that the calculation of leave and bonuses should be looked at.The black economic empowerment (BEE) and broad-based BEE is still a challenge in this sector and nepotism is very high. We need to be highly committed and commitment is a cost if we want changes at our workplace. We also need assistance from the federation but looking at it at the moment, the structures are not functioning. That also demands our commitment to make them work.Let us communicate with comrades from other regions and share ideas of how we are going to achieve our goals. I will be happy to see others’ views.Thank youMoses Mbasa, Isipingo local
Dear Numsa NewsIt is with great pleasure that I pass my messages to local office bearers, local shop steward council and local staff of Kempton Park local and to the entire Numsa members in Kempton Park local and Numsa members both regionally and nationally.The message of thanks is to those who committed themselves to comply with the local shop stewards council recommendation to request each member to contribute R1(for my services rendered over the past year). I thank the LOB, shop stewards and staff who motivated our members to understand and made this wonderful donation amounting to R5000. Comrades it is important to me and to you too to remember that this is not the first time you have given me financial assistance of this nature.I do not have enough words to express what is at the bottom of my heart. My last words will be, thank you comrades – what happened to me, let it happen to other comrades like me. Looking forward to preparations for the 20 year celebrations and building Numsa.Yours in struggleStephen Rathebe, Numsa volunteer, Kempton Park local
Dear Numsa NewsNgiyazicenya ngephephandaba leNumsa News. Ngihambile ngibonile kodwa angibonanga inyonyana esabisa abaqashi njenge Numsa. Umhlaba wonke wathinta igama leNumsa uthinte intshiza. Regional, locals, national, ngithi mayime njalo iNyonyana yethu. Ngiyazicenya ngayo isifundise izinto ezinengi ebesingazazi yasiqondisa izigwegwe nokwesaba ukukhuluma uma sikuma meetings. Yaphakamisa wonke umuntu owesifazane nowesilisa azanke ikhethe bala lomuntu. Yima njalo Numsa. Singebakha ongowethu.Ntombi kaMthiyane, Mpumalanga
Dear Numsa News
This is a special word of thanks to your shop stewards, especially Mrs Eunice Malatu (Johnsons Control, Uitenhage), who was instrumental in laying the groundwork and assisting my wife in the initial stages of the application (for a bursary for my son from the Mbuyiselo Ngwenda Bursary Fund). This surely is a sign of their dedication and passion for their fight for the rights of workers in the workplace. Thank you Eunice, words cannot explain our appreciation and gratefulness. Keep up the good work, you will receive many blessings and in abundance from above.Lindsay, Mirtel and Cuan Lippert (Cuan Lippert was one of the lucky recipients of the Numsa Investment Company bursary)