Subscribe:
RSS feed
News & Views by Terry Bell
Browsing Archives of Author »Terry Bell«
The most exploited — and largely ignored — workers
Fancy being able to walk to work and to pay just 10% of your wages for accommodation? Sounds idyllic? Perhaps. Unless you are a farm worker in South Africa where the latest pay increase of 4.5% made the minimum wage just R1,375 a month and where between R400 and R700 could be charged for electricity alone.
Still fighting the war against Wal-Mart
July 24, 2011
With the decision in June by the South African Competitions Tribunal to allow WalMart to take control of the South African-based Massmart chain, the world’s largest retailer cleared the last of the major hurdles it faced to gain entry to African markets. And despite threats from trade unions and consumer groups that they would appeal […]
Acid water that tarnishes the glister of gold
July 24, 2011
Gold mine ownership, especially in this day and age, is not for the faint hearted. Nor is it for those without deep pockets or without considerable expertise and experience. And gold remains, potentially, a very volatile commodity since it has little practical use outside of jewellery.
The volatile mix behind the strike wave
July 24, 2011
(First published 15 July 2011) Nobody should have been surprised at the current strike wave or the anger manifested. In April this column noted that “levels of disgruntlement — the “gatvol factor” — are everywhere in evidence throughout the labour movement, both in terms of politics and economics. Awareness of widespread corruption, of increasing joblessness […]
Technology and the race to the bottom
July 24, 2011
The labour movement is under concerted attack, globally, with capital now trying to play the role of defenders of the poor and unemployed. At least, thanks to modern communications, the facts will out and the real arguments can be aired, perhaps providing solutions to this crisis-ridden system.
Seeking union relevance in a world in turmoil
June 30, 2011
With the global economy in turmoil, the labour movement everywhere is having to adapt to changed — and changing — circumstances while avoiding the bribes, blandishments and bullying of governments, political parties and business. It could be a question of: adapt, fragment or fade away to irrelevance.
The ‘Fat Cat’ charter of limited liability
June 17, 2011
Miners have died and thousands of dependents — wives, mothers, children and others —are suffering, many cold and hungry in the Highveld winter. They are the casualties of the ambitions of Aurora Empowerment Systems, the company that took control of the Grootvlei and Orkney mines from the bankrupt Pamodzi Gold in 2009. The promises of […]
Terry Bell Writes 
July 29, 2011
0