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Women in the Labour Movement - Confronting the new millenium

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: June 1999
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/115406 , vital:34125
Description: The year 1999 is the year of assessing performance and delivery. In the political arena we are reflecting on the accomplishments and shortcomings of our young democracy as we prepare our nation for South Africa's second democratic elections on the 2nd of June 1999. At this time, it is important that we also evaluate the progress we as a united labour movement made subsequent to April 1994, since the involvement of COSATU in our struggle for democracy was and still remains crucial. For women the 2nd of June 1999 presents itself as a challenge, especially women within COSATU. The challenge lies in the need to ensure that women are more represented in all structures of the federation, affiliates, down to local structures. Women make up the majority of citizens in South Africa and have been and remain under represented within the trade union movement. This has been the case since the launch of COSATU in 1985.
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VAT Summit

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: Aug 1991
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/135438 , vital:37267
Description: We welcome you to this Summit to discuss VAT. By yesterday afternoon, 22 organisations had indicated that they would be attending. COSATU is very gratified that so many organisations have felt the need to come together to discuss this pressing problem. COSATU has called this summit out of deep concern about the implications of VAT especially for workers and members of lower income groups, that is the vast majority of South Africans. We believe that unless we can reach consensus on this tax, we will be facing a disaster of national proportions. There will be a decline in the standard of living for all, and for those not protected against cost of living increases, starvation will stare them in the face. The Inkathagate scandal and the fact that the majority of the people in South Africa are taxed without representation, already angers our people. If tax changes are introduced without the widest possible consultation and consent, heightened conflict could jeapordise the transition process in its current delicate phase. The government should not underestimate the volatile character of unpopular taxes- this is a lesson which Maggie Thatcher had to learn the hard way! It will only be through the unity of organisations from all walks of life, that we will be able to successfully achieve modifications to the tax system. That is why we called this meeting. We sincerely hope that from this meeting, we will be able to develop a common approach.
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Transforming ourselves to transform society, Report of the Organisational Review Commission to the Central Committee

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: Nov 2001
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/118674 , vital:34657
Description: This report focuses on COSATU’s organisation in the 21st century in terms of organising and service strategies; organisational structures; and leadership, management and staff development. In each section, the proposals point to key directions for organisational renewal. The report will be discussed at the Central Committee meeting on November 19 to 22, 2001. It should be subjected to detailed debate and mandating in the run up to the Central Committee. The Seventh National Congress established the need for this organisational review. It noted the “need for a thorough organisational review,” in order to avoid a piecemeal and ad hoc approach. It therefore resolved, “A commission be established: to review structures of the Federation at all levels, including the substructures of the CEC, to propose policy changes and where appropriate propose constitutional amendments. The commission must report to the Central Committee in 2001, which will refer any proposed constitutional amendments to the next Congress.” In February 2001, the CEC established the Organisational Review Commission. At the time, it noted worrying trends in some unions’ ability to maintain services to members, and therefore decided to extend the review to include all aspects of organisational development. In April, the CEC approved terms of reference. The members of the Commission are listed in Appendix 1. They include NOBs of COSATU and affiliates, regional office bearers, some COSATU heads of department, representatives of NALEDI and DITSELA, and an (expert on organisational review. In preparing this report, the Commission held several workshops, and the extended September CEC discussed the draft in depth. Still, the Commission’s work was constrained by the lack of time and resources. Members have many other responsibilities, including mobilising for the strike against privatisation in August. The Commission itself did not have a dedicated budget.
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The weekly newsletter for COSATU - Affiliates and Regions

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: 2001
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/109802 , vital:33191
Description: The largest nursing organisation in the country, the Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA), has taken a historic decision to join COSATU at its recent congress held last week in Pretoria. The 200 delegates at the congress voted in favour of the move. The congress was held between under theme: ’’Nursing facing challenges. Development and HIV/Aids." COSATU campaigns secretary, Mcedisi Nontseie, said the union’s affiliation is a step forward in the consolidation of public sector unions within the federation. "This also consolidates white collar workers within the federation and further demystifies the long held reactionary notion that COSATU only represents workers in the lower ranks,” said Nontseie. South African Football Players Organisation (SAPPU) and Performing Arts Workers Equity (PAWE) joined the federation last year. DONOSA’s affiliation is set to boost the federation’s membership from its present of 1.8 million.
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Stop privatisation - Join the campaign

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: June 1991
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/135389 , vital:37263
Description: Privatisation is when government hands over the management or assets of government services to private interests. Privatised services don't provide well for the poor, who can't pay, because private interests must make profits. Government says it will ensure the poor get good services through contracts and regulations - but it doesn't have capacity to enforce them. Privatisation makes it harder to maintain cross subsidies. Cross subsidies mean rich communities or industry pay more, so that poor households can pay less. Getting rid of cross-subsidies tends to make the prices for services for the poor go up. Privatised companies don't take the broader economic needs of the country into account, for instance by buying goods locally as a way to create jobs, and providing affordable services in remote regions.
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Statement on employment Equity Bill and the Apartheid Wage gap

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: Aug 1998
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/109791 , vital:33189
Description: The Portfolio Committee on Labour considered amendments to the Employment Equity Bill which were tabled in parliament by the Department of Labour today. Amongst these were amendments in response to COSATU's proposals for closing the apartheid wage gap. COSATU has serious reservations, however, about the tabled amendments on this issue, and believes that the amendments proposed today by the ANC should be supported as they address these defects. Finalisation of the clauses relating to the wage gap has been postponed to next week, when the Bill will be voted on by the Committee. COSATU has consistently maintained the view, both in our submissions to the committee last month, and at NEDLAC, that the Employment Equity Bill must address the issue of the apartheid wage gap, if it is to have meaning for the millions of ordinary workers, who are the worst victims of apartheid discrimination, and who will not be able to reach the upper echelons of the workforce, despite the affirmative action provisions of the legislation. We have supported the philosophy of the legislation that employment equity must benefit everybody, and not just an elite few. We have taken the view that the legislation must address the critical legacy of massive income inequalities, which was a deliberate policy under apartheid, in order to make this philosophical approach a reality, and that in this respect the Draft Bill was seriously defective. We proposed a series of concrete amendments to remedy this defect, within the broad philosophical approach and architecture of the Bill. We also proposed an integrated strategy to address these differentials, which combines measures in the Employment Equity legislation with other legislation and processes. A number of organisations have supported us in this view. Further a concept document tabled by the Department of Labour in the parliamentary committee broadly endorsed this approach.
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Site Tax Campaign Manual

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: 1994
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/137159 , vital:37493
Description: Since 1989 most workers in South Africa have had their wages taxed under the Site Tax system. SITE stands for Standard Income Tax on Employees. Under the Site Tax system, the employer is responsible for making sure that workers pay the correct, amount of tax. This is different from the old Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system where the Receiver of Revenue had to make sure that the amount of tax paid was correct. Now the employer works out how much tax has to be paid from the personal information, such as number of children, given to them by each worker. But COSATU has seen that many workers have been taxed too much by their employers. This is mostly because no-one has explained to workers how the Site Tax system works and what tax reductions they are entitled to.
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Sexual Harassment Code of Conduct

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: May 1995
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/137179 , vital:37494
Description: COSATU and affiliates have committed themselves to preventing and addressing sexual harassment in the unions. The COSATU Sexual Harassment Code of Conduct is the outcome of a long process of debate within the federation. In 1989 the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) raised the issue of sexual harassment when they submitted a resolution on harassment to the COSATU National Congress. The resolution was referred to affiliates for further discussion. In 1991 the COSATU National Congress discussed the TGWU resolution on sexual harassment again. No agreement was reached over the resolution. In 1994 the COSATU National Congress adopted a resolution to draw up a code of conduct on sexual harassment. In May 1995 the Executive Committee adopted the code of conduct on sexual harassment.
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ROB report to the COSATU Western Cape Regional Congress

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: Mar 1991
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/135365 , vital:37261
Description: In this report we have focused more on policy issues than on an assessment of problems in the region, as we need to use our Regional Congresses in preparation for the issues which will be debated at National Congress. The government and the bosses are also trying to stop us making further gains. How do we respond? STATE OF THE NATION In the past year, a number of gains have been made by COSATU, some demands have been won, but many new areas of struggle have opened up. In the past year, a number of gains have been made by COSATU, some demands have been won, but many new areas of struggle have opened up. In October 1990, the SCN accord was signed, which gave us back the old Unfair Labour Practice definition, and also set the scene for introducing new legislation for farm, domestic and public sector workers. Since then, a number of unions have been meeting with sub-committees of the National Manpower Commission as well as the Commision for Administration (CFA) to argue for basic rights and legislation for these workers. COSATU now has a national Public Sector Forum under the COSATU Organising Department, and we are gearing up for this struggle as well as the struggle for an entirely and progressive Labour Relations Act.
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Recruiters Guidelines

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: 2001
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/109753 , vital:33186
Description: The purpose of this booklet is to touch in number of areas, which are important at this point for the recruitment campaign of the federation. It is not meant even by implication to provide details of how to handle the campaign what it does is to highlight issues and areas that we must think in the preparation for this campaign. More importantly is the fact that COSATU remains the biggest federation in South Africa and fastest growing international. Beside a loss of membership from + 2 million to + 1.8 million members. The decrease in membership is mostly because of retrenchments. The well known fact is that only about 40% of the workforce that is unionized. The aim of the recruitment drive is to access this 60% that is not unionized. The mistake must not be committed to think that the 40%, which is unionized, belong to COSATU. There are two other federations plus number of non-affiliated unions. Our commitment to One Country One Federation does not stop us to recruit from other unions as long as we remain under different bodies. This October campaign coincides with Red October campaign of the SACP and Health and Safety month of the federation this must be seen as strength than lack of co-ordination. One area that is link to recruitment is the servicing of membership. It is useless to recruit and fail to service membership because every campaign that we will take around recruitment we may find ourselves had to fight with disgruntled members and obviously it will be difficult to attract new members. This must say to us that members come first.
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Recruiters Guidelines

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: 2001
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/137210 , vital:37498
Description: The purpose of this booklet is to touch in number of areas, which are important at this point for the recruitment campaign of the federation. It is not meant even by implication to provide details of how to handle the campaign what it does is to highlight issues and areas that we must think in the preparation for this campaign. More importantly is the fact that COSATU remains the biggest federation in South Africa and fastest growing international. Beside a loss of membership from + 2 million to + 1.8 million members. The decrease in membership is mostly because of retrenchments. The well known fact is that only about 40% of the workforce that is unionized. The aim of the recruitment drive is to access this 60% that is not unionized. The mistake must not be committed to think that the 40%, which is unionized, belong to COSATU. There are two other federations plus number of non-affiliated unions. Our commitment to One Country One Federation does not stop us to recruit from other unions as long as we remain under different bodies. This October campaign coincides with Red October campaign of the SACP and Health and Safety month of the federation this must be seen as strength than lack of co-ordination. One area that is link to recruitment is the servicing of membership. It is useless to recruit and fail to service membership because every campaign that we will take around recruitment we may find ourselves had to fight with disgruntled members and obviously it will be difficult to attract new members. This must say to us that members come first.
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Presidential address - Second National Congress

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: July 1987
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/135354 , vital:37259
Description: Comrade delegates International and local guests Friends and compatriots I wish to welcome you to COSATU's Second National Congress This Congress is taking place at a time when the conflict between the forces trying to maintain the system and the forces of social progress is hotter then ever; when masses of our people are in a state of near permanent upsurge and when nearly everyone is now realising that the apparent iron fortress of the ruling class is breaking down. As we are meeting today, we are doing so united by the deep-seated feeling that victory is certain. Because of that, we must be clear that our Congress is an important milestone in our march towards our total freedom. With unity and clarity of purpose, we must deliberate on all the issues that are put before this Congress and take such decisions as are necessary to take the struggles of the working class in particular, and of the mass democratic movement in general, forward.
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Political Economy - South Africa in crisis

- COSATU

Authors: COSATU
Date: July 1987
Subjects: COSATU
Language: English
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/117195 , vital:34487
Description: THE Central Executive Committee of COSATU took a decision in 1986 that active discussion and study of the South African economy was a priority. This decision was prompted by the very serious problems of unemployment, retrenchment, inflation and poverty that we now face. It was also prompted by an understanding that organised workers must be able to propose and fight for solutions to these problems. In addition sanctions are now becoming a reality. The need to thoroughly understand the economy is even more urgent. One of the biggest problems for any person trying to understand the South African economy is the question: Through whose eyes do we study it? We can look at the economy through the eyes of the capitalists or we can look at it through the eyes of workers. Depending on which set of eyes we use, we’ll see a very different picture. The newspapers, radio, TV and education system all look at the economy through the eyes of the capitalist. They talk of economic laws* which are efficient and benefit everyone. And when the economy goes into a recession* or into a crisis* they argue that the economic laws are being interfered with. They want people to think that the economy is something controlled by laws that workers cannot change. In this booklet on the South African economy we will look at the economy through the eyes of workers. We will see how politics and economics have combined to the benefit of the capitalists. In doing this we will undertake a study of the political economy * of South Africa. The aim of this booklet is to provide a starting point for a study of the South African political economy. We will be looking back into our history to understand the very close link between politics and economics. The purpose of such a political economy study is to allow us to better understand just how serious the present crisis is. Being clearer on this will also allow us to begin discussing the real and effective solutions to the crisis. This is important because many of the solutions being proposed at present will benefit capitalism but will lead to small changes for the mass of the people.
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