Governments across the world are trying to introduce more flexible labour laws.
FranceIt took six weeks of intense demonstrations and strikes by workers and students to force the French government to backtrack on its plans to introduce CPE, a contract that would have allowed employers to dismiss young workers under 26 without having to give a reason.
The French National Assembly [the lower house of parliament] has now “adopted a compromise to replace the CPE,” the Icem said. The compromise will try and help young people get jobs by providing training, internships and grant subsidies to employers who hire youths with lower qualifications.
Dear Numsa News
The recent protests in France led by trade unions and students are a wake up call to South African students’ organisations, especially Sasco. Where is Sasco in the struggle of workers in South Africa?
The first march that I attended was a UDF march many years ago in Empangeni. The majority of comrades in that march were Sasco members who were studying at the University of Zululand [Ongoye]. I have since attended many marches, with declining Sasco presence. All along I thought this decline is evident in marches only. I have since realised it is across the political spectrum. The victory of Sadesmo in Unizul for two consecutive terms is a case in point.
Since the promulgation of the LRA in 1996, there has been one round of amendments. Another round is forthcoming. The daily newspapers quoted one senior, faceless Member of Parliament of the ANC as saying “˜it’s a done deal’. I don’t think Sasco commented on the first draft. Once again another round of amendments “˜is a done deal’. But the students’ movement is dead quiet.
The recent action by French students in tandem with trade unions poses a challenge for our students’ movement’s leadership. Sasco’s December 2005 congress took important resolutions, one of which is excellence in education. Where does education take place, is it in the class? I don’t think so.
The students, led by their progressive organisation must link with their future environment. Their discursive capacity is badly needed in a society that has unreliable intelligentsia like Professor Njabulo Ndebele and Professor Barney Pityana, unless they aspire to be entrepreneurs who want to become SMMEs and therefore benefit from a two tier labour market. Lastly I don’t think they called for reprioritisation of social services expenditure towards their study assistance, which coming from Sadesmo, can be tolerated.
Cedric Gina
AustraliaOn March 27, new labour laws that attack workers’ hard won rights came into effect. The new laws encourage individual contracts instead of collective bargaining and allow employers with fewer than 100 workers to fire workers without fear of unfair dismissal claims.
Already the Australian trade union federation Actu has noted that companies are starting to take advantage of the new laws.
Telecommunications giant Optus has sacked 70 of its field technicians and asked them to re-apply for jobs as independent contractors on lower wages and conditions. Some of them had been with the company for nine years. A hotel has announced restructuring plans that will halve its workforce, place remaining staff on individual contracts and lengthen their working hours.
A New South Wales business sacked all 29 of its employees, asked them to re-apply for 20 jobs on individual contracts and to accept salary cuts of A$180.
South KoreaThe Korean Confederation of Trade Unions [KCTU] held a week-long general strike in April, over legislation that “will grant employers the right to employ hundreds of thousands more contract workers for up to two years before laying them off” said international chemical, energy and mining federation, Icem.
Izimpi zezinguquko emhlabeni
Ohulumeni emhlabeni bazama ukuqalisa eminye imithetho yezemisebenzi eguquguqukayo.
E-Ostreliya, sekuqale ukusetshenziswa imithetho yezemisebenzi emisha ekhuthaza izinkontileka zomuntu ngamunye esikhundleni sezivumelwano ezihlanganisa ndawonye futhi ivumela abaqashi abanabasebenzi abambalwa kune-100 ukuthi babaxoshe ngaphandle kokwesaba ukufunwa kwemali yokubaxosha ngokungenabulungiswa.
EFransi, izitshudeni nabasebenzi bahlanganyela ndawonye benza iziteleka ezinkulu amasonto ayi-6 ngoMashi nango-Ephreli. Lezi ziteleka zaphoqa uhulumeni ukuthi ayekele izinhlelo zakhe zokuqalisa imithetho eyayizovumela abaqashi ukuthi baxoshe abasebenzi abasebancane abangaphansi kweminyaka engama-26 ngaphandle kokuthi babanike isizathu.
ENingizimu Khoriya, izinyunyana zezohwebo zaba nesiteleka esijwayelekile esibude baso buyisonto ngo-Ephreli zizama ukumisa uhulumeni ekuqhubekeni nomthetho owawuzovumela abaqashi ukuthi basebenzise abasebenzi bezinkontileka iminyaka emibili ngaphambi kokuba babaxoshe.
Gevegte oor buigsaamheid regoor die wíªreld
Regerings regoor die wíªreld probeer om meer buigsame arbeidswette in te stel.
In Australia het nuwe arbeidswette in werking getree wat individuele kontrakte voorstaan, en wat werkgewers met minder as 100 werkers die reg gee om werkers af te dank sonder vrees vir eise as gevolg van onbillike afdanking.
In Frankryk het studente en werkers vir ses weke lank in Maart en April in massiewe betogings saamgespan. Hierdie betogings het die regering gedwing om sy planne te laat vaar om wette in te stel wat werkgewers sou toelaat om werkers jonger as 26 af te dank sonder om redes te verskaf.
In Suid-Korea het vakbonde in April “˜n week lange algemene staking gehou in “˜n poging om te verhoed dat die regering voortgaan met wetgewing wat werkgewers in staat sou stel om kontrakwerkers vir tot na twee jaar in diens te neem en hulle dan af te dank.
Dintwa tsa ho fetola melao lefatsheng lohle
Mebuso e lefatsheng ka bophara e leka ho tlisa melao ya mesebetsi e kgonang ho ka fetoha ho ya ka maemo.
Naheng ya Australia, ho se ho kentswe melao e metjha ya mosebetsi e kgothaletsang ho kena konterakeng ka bonngwe ho ena le ho etsa dipuisano ka bongata mme e dumella boramesebetsi ba nang le basebetsi ba ka tlase ho 100 ho leleka ntle le ho tshaba ho qosetswa teleko e seng molaong.
Naheng ya Foranse, baithuti le basebetsi ba kopane ho etsa mehwanto e meholo ka dibeke tse 6 kgweding tsa Hlakubele le Mmesa. Mehwanto ena e susumeditse mmuso ho kgutlisetsa morao merero ya ona ya ho hlahisa melao e neng e tla dumella boramesebetsi ho leleka basebetsi ba sa leng batjha ba ka tlase ho dilemo tse 26 ntle le ho fana ka mabaka.
Mane South Korea, diyuniono tsa basebetsi di ile tsa kena seteraekeng sa beke kaofela ka Mmesa, ho leka ho thibela mmuso ho tswela pele ka molao o neng o tla dumella boramesebetsi ho hira basebetsi ba konteraka dilemo tse pedi pele ba ka ba ntsha mosebetsing.