SAMWU Workers News - June 1997
- SAMWU
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: June 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/137754 , vital:37556
- Description: Welcome to SAMWU’s first magazine. This is the magazine for all comrades so do not take it home and hide it under your pillow - carry it around and share it with other comrades and your family and community. There are many challenges facing SAMWU members and officials at the present time. Our jobs are at risk from privatisation. Our communities are at risk because big business wants to take away the little services we have now. It is our job to politicise communities to take our antiprivatisation campaign forward. Comrades, we must guard against corruption. Multinational companies are prepared to pay a lot of money to get what they want. We are also having a problem with our comrades in SANCO who are bidding for a 30 year contract for Nelspruit’s water and waste services. We don’t want to end up like Britain where people are buying water in bottles from shops because the water from the taps is undrinkable. We don't want to be forced to buy bottled water that is more expensive than beer.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: June 1997
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: June 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/137754 , vital:37556
- Description: Welcome to SAMWU’s first magazine. This is the magazine for all comrades so do not take it home and hide it under your pillow - carry it around and share it with other comrades and your family and community. There are many challenges facing SAMWU members and officials at the present time. Our jobs are at risk from privatisation. Our communities are at risk because big business wants to take away the little services we have now. It is our job to politicise communities to take our antiprivatisation campaign forward. Comrades, we must guard against corruption. Multinational companies are prepared to pay a lot of money to get what they want. We are also having a problem with our comrades in SANCO who are bidding for a 30 year contract for Nelspruit’s water and waste services. We don’t want to end up like Britain where people are buying water in bottles from shops because the water from the taps is undrinkable. We don't want to be forced to buy bottled water that is more expensive than beer.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: June 1997
South African Municipal Worker's Union Constitution
- SAMWU
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Mar 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/111096 , vital:33377
- Description: The name of the union shall be the SOUTH AFRICAN MUNICIPAL WORKERS UNION. The union shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession capable of entering into contractual and other relations and of suing and being sued in its own name and shall be an organisation not for gain. It shall hold property separate from its members. The liability of members shall be limited to the amount of subscriptions or other monies due to the union at any time in terms of this constitution.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Mar 1997
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Mar 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/111096 , vital:33377
- Description: The name of the union shall be the SOUTH AFRICAN MUNICIPAL WORKERS UNION. The union shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession capable of entering into contractual and other relations and of suing and being sued in its own name and shall be an organisation not for gain. It shall hold property separate from its members. The liability of members shall be limited to the amount of subscriptions or other monies due to the union at any time in terms of this constitution.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Mar 1997
Transforming Local Government to meet the needs of the people
- SAMWU
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Oct 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/111074 , vital:33370
- Description: The implementation of our previous resolutions on socialism has always created misunderstanding amongst our members. Believing that an effective, achievable education programme for our members will ensure understanding amongst our members. SAMWU’s continued commitment to socialism requires that it develops a counter to the ideological war against socialism. Socialism is the only system which can solve the social and economic problems of working people across the globe and any attempts to reform capitalism will merely lead to greater levels of poverty, unemployment, homelessness, disease, starvation, crime and civil war. Resolves that SAMWU, with COSATU, shall mount a counter-offensive campaign against ' capitalism aimed at proving the superiority of socialism by: Engaging in relentless public criticism of capitalism By conducting, throughout the Federation, ongoing education on the fundamental ideas of socialism and nurturing a working class consciousness and outlook. Fostering a climate of free and fraternal debate on how socialism is to be achieved. SAMWU should forge links with other working class formations internationally as part of the international fight against neo-liberal globalisation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Oct 1997
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Oct 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/111074 , vital:33370
- Description: The implementation of our previous resolutions on socialism has always created misunderstanding amongst our members. Believing that an effective, achievable education programme for our members will ensure understanding amongst our members. SAMWU’s continued commitment to socialism requires that it develops a counter to the ideological war against socialism. Socialism is the only system which can solve the social and economic problems of working people across the globe and any attempts to reform capitalism will merely lead to greater levels of poverty, unemployment, homelessness, disease, starvation, crime and civil war. Resolves that SAMWU, with COSATU, shall mount a counter-offensive campaign against ' capitalism aimed at proving the superiority of socialism by: Engaging in relentless public criticism of capitalism By conducting, throughout the Federation, ongoing education on the fundamental ideas of socialism and nurturing a working class consciousness and outlook. Fostering a climate of free and fraternal debate on how socialism is to be achieved. SAMWU should forge links with other working class formations internationally as part of the international fight against neo-liberal globalisation.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Oct 1997
Workers News - 15 000 comrades out on strike against privatisation
- SAMWU
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Sep 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English, Afrikaans
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/113336 , vital:33749
- Description: The servicing of the members is a very important instrument that has to be sharpened every day if need be. In essence it is absolutely necessary to service the members, for the capacity building on policy of worker control of the organisation; building confidence, defending, developing and advancing the programmes of the organisation. We need to also build organisational skills based not on reckless or appetite militancy, but on radical concrete co-ordinated militancy. The correct flow of information is the key on empowering of the members, so that they can be able to contribute in solving the problems and take an appropriate decisions on organisational issues.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Sep 1997
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Sep 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English, Afrikaans
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/113336 , vital:33749
- Description: The servicing of the members is a very important instrument that has to be sharpened every day if need be. In essence it is absolutely necessary to service the members, for the capacity building on policy of worker control of the organisation; building confidence, defending, developing and advancing the programmes of the organisation. We need to also build organisational skills based not on reckless or appetite militancy, but on radical concrete co-ordinated militancy. The correct flow of information is the key on empowering of the members, so that they can be able to contribute in solving the problems and take an appropriate decisions on organisational issues.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Sep 1997
Workers News - Special tenth anniversary edition
- SAMWU
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Nov 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English, Zulu, Sotho and Afrikaans
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/113358 , vital:33752
- Description: It brought change in Local Government. Although this strike was a success for the organisation, we suffered losses. Many workers were dismissed and many workers suffered injuries at the hands of the security forces. This strike forced the employers to take us seriously. Another strike took place in 1995. Here again we had casualties. Workers were shot and beaten by police in places like Pietersburg, Kuruman, Bethlehem. We have workers in Groblersdal who were dismissed during that strike who have not been re-instated to this day. We have tried our best, and will continue to try. A funny incident during my term was when Cdes Tom Ngobeni, Mike Mthembu, Themba Khumalo and I called a march in Pretoria. The police station commander asked us how many workers would be marching, and Cde Tom replied "40 thousand!" When it came to the day of the march, the army lined a long street. The soldiers were heavily armed and barricaded both sides of the street. But when the march started, we were only 150! So the soldiers were far more than the marchers! The police said that they were going to sue SAMWU, but they ended up doing nothing. Now every time we want to march in Pretoria, this station commander still remembers this incident. As President of SAMWU, I feel great about the members. SAMWU members like their organisation. Wherever you go they are proud about their trade union. Even in areas where service to members is weak, those members are still proud of their union. The Union came in as a saviour to many workers, taking into account the conditions we used to work under. I always believe that if you are elected by people they should not be afraid to talk to you. I don't like it when a President is above the workers, and the workers are not permitted to say anything about their President. You have to be open to criticism, and that is the only way you can be built by others. I enjoy being a trade unionist first and foremost, but it is not an easy job to be a President. You miss your family because you never spend time with your family. My children have grown but they have never spent much time with me, except at night when I arrive home late. I think SAMWU will grow more and more. We have grown since our launch by over 100 thousand members. One of the reasons for this huge growth is that we always have a target at every Congress. During this period we didn't have a target, and that is why we did not grow so much. We need now to say that by the next Congress we should be at least 150-180 thousand in SAMWU, and make sure that we work hard to target that number. We also need public sector unity to make sure there is proper restructuring of Local Government and also to rid the public sector of corruption. Although corruption is not a new thing - it has been there for years but we need to come together to make sure that we instill that discipline within all workers in the public sector, even those that are not our members. We must make sure that all corruption in Local Government is rooted out, especially those workers in traffic departments. There are corrupt elements in every traffic department in this country. We need to build an image that will gain us respect from those communities that we are supposed to serve. Most of our members understand that SAMWU is opposed to privatisation. Once the state assets are in the hands of the private sector, government will be dependent on business. As SAMWU we say that we need a strong state to lead us, instead of the private sector leading. This will be one of our biggest challenges in the next few years. I have an important message to all municipal workers on our tenth anniversary. I would like to say that we need to improve our service delivery and make sure that we are closer to our communities. Communities must understand our problems and we must also understand their problems. We need to make sure that we democratise our union. Where there are weaknesses, members must make sure that those weaknesses are addressed. If we don't do things correctly, workers should correct us.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Nov 1997
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Nov 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English, Zulu, Sotho and Afrikaans
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/113358 , vital:33752
- Description: It brought change in Local Government. Although this strike was a success for the organisation, we suffered losses. Many workers were dismissed and many workers suffered injuries at the hands of the security forces. This strike forced the employers to take us seriously. Another strike took place in 1995. Here again we had casualties. Workers were shot and beaten by police in places like Pietersburg, Kuruman, Bethlehem. We have workers in Groblersdal who were dismissed during that strike who have not been re-instated to this day. We have tried our best, and will continue to try. A funny incident during my term was when Cdes Tom Ngobeni, Mike Mthembu, Themba Khumalo and I called a march in Pretoria. The police station commander asked us how many workers would be marching, and Cde Tom replied "40 thousand!" When it came to the day of the march, the army lined a long street. The soldiers were heavily armed and barricaded both sides of the street. But when the march started, we were only 150! So the soldiers were far more than the marchers! The police said that they were going to sue SAMWU, but they ended up doing nothing. Now every time we want to march in Pretoria, this station commander still remembers this incident. As President of SAMWU, I feel great about the members. SAMWU members like their organisation. Wherever you go they are proud about their trade union. Even in areas where service to members is weak, those members are still proud of their union. The Union came in as a saviour to many workers, taking into account the conditions we used to work under. I always believe that if you are elected by people they should not be afraid to talk to you. I don't like it when a President is above the workers, and the workers are not permitted to say anything about their President. You have to be open to criticism, and that is the only way you can be built by others. I enjoy being a trade unionist first and foremost, but it is not an easy job to be a President. You miss your family because you never spend time with your family. My children have grown but they have never spent much time with me, except at night when I arrive home late. I think SAMWU will grow more and more. We have grown since our launch by over 100 thousand members. One of the reasons for this huge growth is that we always have a target at every Congress. During this period we didn't have a target, and that is why we did not grow so much. We need now to say that by the next Congress we should be at least 150-180 thousand in SAMWU, and make sure that we work hard to target that number. We also need public sector unity to make sure there is proper restructuring of Local Government and also to rid the public sector of corruption. Although corruption is not a new thing - it has been there for years but we need to come together to make sure that we instill that discipline within all workers in the public sector, even those that are not our members. We must make sure that all corruption in Local Government is rooted out, especially those workers in traffic departments. There are corrupt elements in every traffic department in this country. We need to build an image that will gain us respect from those communities that we are supposed to serve. Most of our members understand that SAMWU is opposed to privatisation. Once the state assets are in the hands of the private sector, government will be dependent on business. As SAMWU we say that we need a strong state to lead us, instead of the private sector leading. This will be one of our biggest challenges in the next few years. I have an important message to all municipal workers on our tenth anniversary. I would like to say that we need to improve our service delivery and make sure that we are closer to our communities. Communities must understand our problems and we must also understand their problems. We need to make sure that we democratise our union. Where there are weaknesses, members must make sure that those weaknesses are addressed. If we don't do things correctly, workers should correct us.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Nov 1997
Workers News - The war against privatisation 1997
- SAMWU
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: June 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/113667 , vital:33818
- Description: SAMWU continues to fight against the privatisation of more and more services. Even’ region is facing different struggles, but let’s not forget that we are all fighting against one thing: the notion that services should be provided for profit and not to meet needs. Let’s learn about each other’s struggles so that we can prepare for united mass action! Local Authorities here are proposing to privatise the security departments of Duiwelskloof and Potgiet- ersrus TLC. In Naboom- spruit, it has been proposed that meter reading services be contracted out to private companies. Council has also spoken of putting out tenders for the maintenance of the Tzaneen cemetry. So comrades can see that we are fighting privatisation on many fronts! In Queenstown, council is attempting to privatise the refuse collection service. IMATU has joined SAMWU in rejecting this. At the moment we are trying to arrange a meeting with community structures in order to put our position forward to them. Umtata municipality proposed privatisation of the ambulance and fire departments, but noting union opposition, scheduled a meeting with SAMWU and IMATU to discuss this further. Our Aberdeen comrades are to be congratulated! We have heard that they have gone from door to door in their communities educating others about the dangers of privatisation!
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: June 1997
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: June 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/113667 , vital:33818
- Description: SAMWU continues to fight against the privatisation of more and more services. Even’ region is facing different struggles, but let’s not forget that we are all fighting against one thing: the notion that services should be provided for profit and not to meet needs. Let’s learn about each other’s struggles so that we can prepare for united mass action! Local Authorities here are proposing to privatise the security departments of Duiwelskloof and Potgiet- ersrus TLC. In Naboom- spruit, it has been proposed that meter reading services be contracted out to private companies. Council has also spoken of putting out tenders for the maintenance of the Tzaneen cemetry. So comrades can see that we are fighting privatisation on many fronts! In Queenstown, council is attempting to privatise the refuse collection service. IMATU has joined SAMWU in rejecting this. At the moment we are trying to arrange a meeting with community structures in order to put our position forward to them. Umtata municipality proposed privatisation of the ambulance and fire departments, but noting union opposition, scheduled a meeting with SAMWU and IMATU to discuss this further. Our Aberdeen comrades are to be congratulated! We have heard that they have gone from door to door in their communities educating others about the dangers of privatisation!
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: June 1997
Workers News Nov 1997 - Special tenth anniversary edition
- SAMWU
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Nov 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/137959 , vital:37577
- Description: I started with the municipality in 1970 as a plumber with the technical section of the JCC. There were no unions then that organised Black workers - we were not allowed to belong to any union at that time. We were first given help by the Industrial Aid Society, then the FOSATU Workers Project, and then I became one of the first shopstewards in TGWU in 1980. It was difficult in the early days of TGWU - other workers would be afraid even to sit next to you in case they were victimised by the employer. In those days there were no wage negotiations - we used to get a 20c increase. The process in launching SAMWU was a very difficult one. We started the merger talks even before COSATU was launched in 1985. But when COSATU launched, that Congress took a decision that organiations in the municipal sector should merge. It was not an easy process but because we were all for unity in the end we achieved what we set out to do. My first main challenge as SAMWU President was to unite Local Government workers. In our history Local Government workers had no national union, whereas workers in other sectors had national unions. But in many ways, after SAMWU's first Congress, things became easier for municipal workers. We had established a solid base from which to challenge the employers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Nov 1997
- Authors: SAMWU
- Date: Nov 1997
- Subjects: SAMWU
- Language: English
- Type: text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/137959 , vital:37577
- Description: I started with the municipality in 1970 as a plumber with the technical section of the JCC. There were no unions then that organised Black workers - we were not allowed to belong to any union at that time. We were first given help by the Industrial Aid Society, then the FOSATU Workers Project, and then I became one of the first shopstewards in TGWU in 1980. It was difficult in the early days of TGWU - other workers would be afraid even to sit next to you in case they were victimised by the employer. In those days there were no wage negotiations - we used to get a 20c increase. The process in launching SAMWU was a very difficult one. We started the merger talks even before COSATU was launched in 1985. But when COSATU launched, that Congress took a decision that organiations in the municipal sector should merge. It was not an easy process but because we were all for unity in the end we achieved what we set out to do. My first main challenge as SAMWU President was to unite Local Government workers. In our history Local Government workers had no national union, whereas workers in other sectors had national unions. But in many ways, after SAMWU's first Congress, things became easier for municipal workers. We had established a solid base from which to challenge the employers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: Nov 1997
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