A few weeks ago, in my editorial on the Skills Portal newsletter, I complained about union calls for an additional public holiday. Leaders of union federations were writing letters to Thabo Mbeki and holding interviews with the media, all for one extra day’s holiday.
With all the social challenges we face in our country, was it really the best use of union leaders’ time to go to so much trouble for one extra day’s holiday, I asked? I can’t remember the last time I heard any union leader on national radio calling for more money to be spent on training workers!
The truth is that I’m sympathetic to unions and their objectives. When the argument is between retail workers getting R400 per month and retail-chain CEOs earning more than R23-million, it isn’t hard to support the person struggling to get to work on public transport ahead of the one speeding in his Porsche. (Figures from Cosatu’s memorandum to Pick n Pay.)
Post-Polokwane (this year’s big political cliché) the union movement seems to be flexing its muscles — particularly Cosatu and its affiliates. The issue of the ship full of Chinese weapons headed for Zimbabwe has given them more opportunity to take a stand.
I don’t know if anyone has any respect for Aziz Pahad any more, so there probably weren’t many who were surprised by his comments on the Chinese arms ship. Something along the line of: “They are a sovereign country so we can’t interfere!” What rubbish!
South Africa under the National Party was a sovereign country. So was it OK to send weapons to PW Botha’s army so that they could be used in the townships against South African citizens?
As Morgan Tsvangirai told CNN, Zimbabwe is not at war, so what are the arms needed for except for use against civilians?
Just when it looked like the weapons were on their way to Mugabe’s army, the transport workers’ unions struck a blow for good sense, human rights and simply doing the right thing.
Randall Howard, general secretary of the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), said his members would refuse to unload the arms from the vessel
Cosatu supported the move. “South Africa cannot be seen to be facilitating the flow of weapons into Zimbabwe at a time where there is a political dispute and a volatile situation between Zanu-PF and the MDC,” it said in a statement. Viva to that!
The International Transport Federation and the police union also supported the stance taken by Satawu.
Management and business owners spend a lot of time complaining about the actions of unions at workplace level, but we should all be grateful for the powerful role that unions play in our society. They are a powerful counterforce to a government with a strong majority.
I’m not the emotional type, but I’m damn proud of Randall Howard and the Satawu members. They struck a real blow for people’s power and the solidarity of workers, and it seems very likely that they have saved lives in Zimbabwe.
The parallels are interesting. CNN commentators were already reporting on the sensitivities of the situation with Zanu-PF — a liberation movement — seeming to be losing power to the MDC, which has a former unionist at its head.
In our own country we have seen how the former-exile ANC leader lost out in the party elections to the candidate with the strong union support.
It is interesting also to note that Mugabe’s rule from liberation until today lasted 28 years — double the period that the ANC has been in power in South Africa. Is it possible that in only another 14 years a strong, union-supported party could oust the ANC?
“Is it possible that in only another 14 years a strong, union-supported party could oust the ANC?”
Less than another 14. Remember, the only reason Mad Bob lasted this long, was because he stole, at a minimum, the last two elections.
These “Reigns that lasts a thousand years” only takes about two decades to wither into the ether.
The wheel turns – as it always have, as it always will…
i can’t agree more – i have been so proud of our unions and their affiliates!
Looks like SA is finally growing up and has an independent labour movement.
Now you just have to be careful you dont end up with mafia control, like they did with the teamsters in the USA, or political war like they did in the UK with the NUM, Scargill and Margaret Thatcher.
Let’s hope they remember what the Tolpuddle Martyrs started the union movement for.
I have a feeling – and I certainly HOPE – that this action by Satawu signals the beginning of a turn-around in our society. Maybe, just maybe we are entering a new phase where a unionised working class will consistently challenge the horribly wasted instincts of the bureaucratised ANC grown smug and slow-witted under the Man from Sussex. Now if only that working class can produce a leadership with an inclusive vision for our society as a whole.
When I read the news that the Unions had refused to unload the weapons from that ship, I got a lump in my throat and a tingle down my spine. I think I even shouted “YES!”. I was very proud of them that day.
It would be real good if the Unions could go on keeping their independence.
But history shows that Unions are too frequently related to left wing parties (all over the world). And this usually results in new opposing Unions to appear, giving way to labour power fragmentation.
So, it seems to me that, although SA Unions have been experiencing a relative self-conduct status, we will see in short future a greater political control or direct influence (probably through internal elections). I hope not!
What fascinates me is that South African Unions were robbed of their effective leadership after 1994. Anyone in the unions with any reputation for making things happen was co-opted into the government or the ANC. At the time, some said that the ANC did this to cut the strength of the unions. The unions were in serious trouble so they grew a new crop of leadership. This new leadership has turned out to be outstanding.
While the new union leadership are members of the Triparthate alliance, they have a much looser affiliation with the ANC.
They are younger, and much more enthusiastic. Being younger, they are better educated and schooled in the affaires of running unions.
They are able to think outside the Mbeki/ANC box and aren’t scared of Mbeki’s thought police.
They are a glorious golden ray of political hope in the darkness of our political discontent. (and you don’t have to agree with everything they say, it is their presence and enthusiastic approach that is impressive)
For those interested there is a petition against the arms shipement to Zimbabwe:
http://www.iansa.org/stoptheshipment/index.php
I agree with the sentiment of Alan’s blog and many of the comments. Collusion and tender-rigging in the business world – at least our union movement is demonstrating a moral sensibility. It’s time to move away from the “colours” of the rainbow nation into a working class consciousness – which demands delivery on the socio-economic rights included in our Constitution.
Yeah!
Workers of the World UNITE!!
It really is time now – before it is too late
Alan, it is not correct to infer that unions have not been calling for more money to be spend on training. The Skills Development Act was initiated from the unions, and recent collective bargaining agreements have attempted to link progression more closely to skills development. A valid criticism on skills would be that unions have not set up system to ensure the implementation of skills development act. Like you, I am really happy that SATAWU has taken the stance that they did on the arms shipment. (The Skills Portal website is excellent)
Yes, Ebrahim-Khalil that is a valid comment – given yesterday’s Jipsa report, the question is what are the unions and the federations going to do differently so that we can “up our game”. (Latest Skills Portal report on Jipsa update.)