Covid-19 is being used by politicians the world over to try to hide the fact that the system they administer was responsible for the economic crisis now exacerbated by Covid-19. Time now to try a true democratic alternative?
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 trade union movement, nationally and internationally‚ can be excused for being more than a trifle sceptical about announcements that the world is recovering from economic crisis. Unsurprisingly, this was the reported assessment of most business delegates to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos that ended last weekend. In one, very narrow, respect this […]
Whither South Africa's macro-economic policy? The government has taken its New Growth Path framework to the Wor4ld Economic Forum in Davos, but the unions on the home front, along with the SACP, are deeply divided. Is the NGP another Gear or Asgisa or is it something really new?
It is surely time for serious reflection when the lunatic logic of the present system encourages us to spend — all too often on credit — to provide a boost to ailing economies when all this will do is provide a boost to banks and to the profits of importers, producer companies, wholesalers and retailers while the jobs slaughter continues.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) turns 25 in December. But the birthday celebrations around the country will be dampened by heightened tension and some mildly acrimonious outbursts resulting from the content of the government’s New Growth Path (NGP) for the economy and the manner in which it was announced. Like the 1996 […]
South Africa seems enamoured of acronyms, and national economic policy has provided three over the past 16 years: RDP, GEAR and now, NGP. The one consistent element appears to be that, while the names may change, nothing fundamental seems to alter; "trickle down" economics still rules.
According to the labour movement, Wal-mart, the world's biggest private sector employer and retailer, is a parasitic entity contributing the the 'race to the bottom' in terms of wages and conditions while adding to the global army of the jobless.
Terry Bell Writes 
June 27, 2020
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