The NBC spent much of its time on the motor sector. Numsa general secretary, Silumko Nondwangu, pointed out that the motor sector is a sector that lacks strategy in terms of bargaining and recruitment.
Motor was declared a special project and the NBC debated around putting that into practice. The motor sector is big and if recruited well, it can be the backbone of our organisation.
Motor workers are the most underestimated workers of Numsa's membership so if Numsa can bargain for a reasonable wage for these members, that can be a recruitment strategy in itself.
Under motor there are petrol pump attendants who don't have allowances and the NBC debated a lot around that. "If every delegate in this NBC can stop at every garage that he or she passes by and speak to workers about Numsa, that can make a difference to our recruitment campaign," said Nondwangu. Other delegates came with different ideas.
A comrade from Western Cape said that if he could be given a car and a caravan, he could recruit on his own in the Western Cape ! And Ekurhuleni came with a suggestion that a bicycle can do the job. These suggestions indicate that regions are taking this campaign seriously.
Northern Cape regional secretary, Elias Mashiloane, appealed to comrades to organise motor workers – "we need power to change motor employers' minds, not experienced negotiators," he told delegates. "Now, employers say to us, 'you want this, but we will give you this', and no experienced negotiator can help us to change their minds."
And in his closing speech to delegates, Nondwangu, reminded delegates that "motor members are just as important as auto, tyre, rubber and engineering workers. The responsibility is on our shoulders as delegates to translate this into action."
– Fumanekile Phumaphi and Jenny Grice
Source
Numsa News