Last year we covered three factories where workers marched for their rights. This year we went back to shop stewards and organisers to find out if their efforts were worth it. This is what they had to say!
Weir Minerals, Kempton Park”Yes it was worth it. The ideology has changed. The demonstration put the issues into the open so that we could discuss them openly. Now they are trying to prove there is no racism.”Although they have not made breakthroughs on everything management has agreed that “the allegations that we made will be looked into.”Brian Ramijith, shop steward at Weir Minerals
Why you should read Numsa News!
More Proof Manufacturing workers claim their moniesSince reading Numsa News November 2006 issue, most of the 69 workers who were owed backpay by Proroof Manufacturing have now claimed their monies.
For years workers had been short-changed by their company. But Numsa local organiser Simon Matlou took the company to the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council. In 2005 the company was ordered to pay the workers R755 000 in backpay.
Are you sure you are being paid the correct pay for the grade that you are working on? If not consult the latest agreement or get hold of your Numsa organiser.
Transvaal Galvanisers and Blue Sphere, Nigel local”It was worth marching. In both companies there is progress and we have agreed on a process to take the demands forward as a result of that march. Transvaal Galvanisers has undertaken to prioritise the paving of the yard on a gradual basis.”Mandla Simelane, local organiser, Nigel local
Andrew Mentis, Kempton Park localWorkers big complaint was the fact that there was no employment equity. If there was a vacancy, then “people from outside” were employed.Now two people from inside have been promoted to senior managers and even though employment is continuing from outside, there are more people of colour being employed.
On the training side, four fitters and turner assistants from the existing workforce are being put through fitter and turner learnerships.And shop steward Motsamai Ponya says there are other positive spin-offs as well. “Since the march, 19 workers have joined Numsa and we have managed to limit the temporary workers and force management to make more workers permanent.”
Capital uses government officials to beautify their public imageMncedisi PhaphuOn December 1 2006 the State President was the prominent speaker at the opening of the new VW paint shop. This is the same paint shop that still flows with the blood of three Grinaker LTA employees who were killed last year when the crane on which they were working, broke. It is a noticeable trend now that you see government officials walking up and down a factory without informing the union that they would visit the Company. It’s just as it used to be during the dark and painful days of our struggle. When about 6000 VW employees gathered in front of the new paint shop it was more like celebrating the coming of the President on World Aids day rather than the opening of the 95% automated paint shop. While waiting workers were treated to sweet CD music as well as the Mthuthuzeli Choral Choir of Motherwell. One could see the mood through the paint shop’s full-time shopsteward, Colin Hardt, who was dancing in front of the crowd wearing a black suit with a grey tie rubbing shoulders with the guests and the top management. Bodyshop full-time shopsteward Andile Gqabi was nearly chewed to pieces by the crowd when he tried to sing the well-known JZ song “˜Umshini Wam’ just before the President’s convoy arrived. The crowd started to roar and shouted “Ziz….zizi….zizi..” just as the convoy was coming into the well-searched and secured VW premises. The President urged VW management to grow, create more jobs and increase wages. “Ixesha likadaka boy laphela kudala” (the time for the unskilled worker is past) he said, encouraging VW to embark on an intensive skills development programme. The outgoing VW Managing Director Andreas Tostmann boasted that the new paint shop would create jobs in the region.”I’m surprised that they are talking about job creation whilst our union is up in arms with them on the issue of the vast number of temps that are expected to quit their jobs soon!” muttered Kwanele Stemele, an old paint shop worker.
Numsa determined to make temporary workers permanent in VW
Kaya ka Yoko
After the opening of the new paint shop in VW, Numsa is firm on its position to drive the company to employ the temporary workers permanently. When the company invests to expand its business, everyone expects work not work reduction. We still have our fellow temporary comrades with us. All this endeavour is through the performance of the shop stewards. It is very important for the members to understand that during negotiations between employers and trade unionists there is a force, both parties pull apart as a result of diverse interests. It is not always easy to meet the expectations of the workers.It is high time for workers to stop folding their arms or pointing fingers at shop stewards for shortfalls in their continuous struggle. It’s time for them to stand up and follow their representatives in large numbers. Last year in V W we had some comrades that never woke up even when they were called by Cosatu. They are the ones that always complain about the non-achievements of the union. It is high time for shop stewards in VW to stop wasting time on administrative, petty and other issues rather than worker-related and organisational issues.
Can you believe it!
Shop steward dismissed for cross examining manager
Challenge to all auto shop stewardsFrom February 2007 Xolani Tshayana has been appointed full-time educator in VWSA. VWSA shop stewards challenge other auto shop stewards to negotiate the same in their companies!
Mlungisi TikoloJohannes Tshima, a shop steward at Giflo in Garankuwa, was dismissed for insubordination after he cross examined his manager in an inquiry.
When his case was heard at arbitration, he was reinstated. As usual the company decided to review the case in order to frustrate Tshima. Fortunately cde Tshima understands that the working class struggle is not limited to the factory floor against capitalist oppression. Our revolution is the struggle for an egalitarian (equal) world that is free from the oppression of one person by another. Numsa News will keep you posted about the case in coming editions.