NUMSA has won a victory for Ford workers in South Africa after the union was able to fight off over 500 jobs cuts, and will receive a bonus that they have campaigned to receive since the beginning of this month.
When the Labour Court ruled in favour of Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa and stopped a strike by 3,000 automotive workers at the Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, there were fears of possible dismissals.
Despite the legal setback, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), whose members led the strike, successfully negotiated for a return to work and averted the job losses.
The union reached an agreement with the Ford management for a one-off payment of 20,000 rands (£900) to each worker, and not to take disciplinary action against the striking workers. The workers then resumed work on 12th July.
NUMSA has 3,000 members out of a workforce of 5,500 workers at the Silverton plant. The factory supply chain has over 60,000 indirect jobs.
The workers went on strike to demand profit-sharing in addition to bonuses after Ford declared profits of over £20 billion worldwide in the last financial year.
NUMSA argued that only shareholders and management were benefitting from the profits and not the workers. The union stressed that Ford could afford the profit-sharing.
However, the union did not reach an agreement with the Ford management over the profit-sharing even after the case was brought before the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) on 11th June.
They went on strike on 4 July, which was then ruled illegal by the Labour Court, which said that the collective job action was unprotected according to the law.
Irvin Jim, NUMSA general secretary said: ‘Profit-sharing helps to cushion the South African automotive workers against the increasing cost of living.
‘NUMSA continues to stand for more benefits to the workers so that they can continue to afford looking after their families.’
Meanwhile, The National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) has come out firing against the African National Congress (ANC) KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) provincial secretary.
Bheki Mtolo publically challenged the union’s competence prompting their sharp response.
Nehawu’s KZN Secretariat Office issued a statement giving him 48 hours to retract his comments or face legal action.
Nehawu accused him of not understanding the significance of the union’s work.
NEHAWU stated: ‘We take an exception to this political buffoon called Mtolo. It’s unfortunate that the ANC in KZN finds itself led by a political moron like Mtolo, who has become a loose cannon at the detriment of the movement.
‘This man represents the highest deterioration of leadership calibre of the ANC in the province,’ the statement adds, taking a swipe at the party’s decline at the polls.
Mtolo recently blamed NEHAWU for the deterioration of the state entities where members are employed, adding their rhetoric towards white people was disingenuous.
‘Part of NEHAWU’s ultimatum to Mtolo includes a public apology within 48 hours and a promise to refrain from further disrespectful utterances.
‘Anything short could see the union severe ties with the him.
‘We will be declaring him a persona non grata who will never address any gathering where NEHAWU will be present.
‘We are also calling upon the ANC in the province to reign in on its rogue provincial secretary.
Nehawu implied Mtolo’s attitude was indicative of the ANC’s electoral decline, which they blamed on their ‘neo-liberal policy of austerity’.
‘We call upon the ANC to really analyse his statement and what he implies about the ANC in government to the public, to a point that he believes that GNU would do better than the ANC.
‘This behaviour which has a semblance of lunacy has cost the ANC in the province.’
Elsewhere, The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) remains deeply alarmed that Tuberculosis (TB) continues to take the lives of 150 people a day in South Africa, and yet it is curable.
Despite having progressive policies in place, COSATU is pained that 280,000 people still get infected and 54, 000 die from TB each year.
The Federation calls on the Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi, to sound the alarm and give TB the urgent attention it deserves. We further urge Minister Motsoaledi to scale up TB interventions and implement policies that are already there, particularly:
- Targeted universal testing in all provinces;
- Annual TB screening for people living with HIV;
- Close contact tracing;
- Provide TB counselling to ensure adherence to treatment;
- TB campaigns in all official languages to raise awareness.
Due to its close association to HIV, a stigma has developed around TB, making it difficult for people to seek treatment. Anyone can be infected with TB but people living with HIV are more at risk because their immune system is compromised.
Other vulnerable groups, in particular the poor and working class, as they are more likely to live and travel in overcrowded conditions, where infection spreads easily. Lack of adequate nutrition might also mean their immune systems are unable to fight off the infection.
COSATU urges working class communities to visit their nearest health facility if they experience the following symptoms:
- A prolonged cough, coughing up blood or mucus;
- Chest pains;
- Tiredness and weakness;
- Weight loss;
- Fever;
- Night sweats;
- Lack of appetite.
The Federation commits itself to rolling out educational workplace awareness campaigns and programmes, as well as TB screening services at all major COSATU events.
Importantly we urge Minister Motsoaledi and Treasury to ensure there is adequate funding to implement TB interventions with the ultimate goal of eradicating it as a public health threat by 2030. After all TB is curable.
- The General Industries Workers Union (GIWUSA) has called for a mass meeting over its dissatisfaction with City Power’s recently implemented 200 rand electricity surcharge.
At the beginning of the month, the power utility implemented the standard monthly fee in addition to electricity prices for all its prepaid customers living in Johannesburg.
The move has been met by backlash from residents, civil organisations, and several unions.
GIWUSA spokesperson Koketso Phasha said the additional cost was a burden to poorer consumers.
Phasha stated: ‘It is long overdue for the municipality to rectify its racist, classist – and by implication sexist – electricity pricing, and address extreme inequality at the same time.
‘We are calling on SAFTU and the Working-Class Steering Committee to organise a mass meeting for all the working-class movements and residents in middle-class areas across the City of Johannesburg for discussions and a fighting strategy.’
