The founding principles of the labour movement are liberty and equality on a global scale, and although some areas the movement have become corrupted, all too often infused with the poison of nationalism, they remain potential bulwarks of democracy.
December 14, 2014
Through globalisation, capital began the race to the bottom in terms of human and worker rights, wages and conditions. But, courtesy of modern communications technology, unions are now fighting back on a global level, although there is a long way to go.
December 7, 2014
After nearly 50 uears of organised batling, South Africa's domestic workers still find themselves disadvantaged, their latest minimum pay award being less than half the generally recognised living wage.
November 24, 2014
There is no need for South African unions to travel to Brazil or Bolivia for enlightenment. There are basic facts about the nature of unions to consider — and several lessons to learn that are much closer to home.
November 17, 2014
It is no exaggeration to say that South Africa is in the midst of the most important political development since 1994, triggered by the decision of the Cosatu union federationto expel its largest affiliate, the National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa).
November 2, 2014
Many of my fellow journalists have recently misled the public about the situation regarding South Africa's National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa) and the Cosatu federation. Part of the blame lies with the confusing utterances by some members of the Cosatu executive who seem unaware of the clauses of their own constitution.
October 26, 2014
South African free marketeer Ann Bernstein and the Centre for Democracy and Enterprise (CDE) have ironically found themselves ideologically in bed with communist icons Frederick Engels and VI Lenin in arguing for certain workers being "middle class".
October 9, 2014
The fact that the “Save Our Metro” campaign in South Africa's east coast Nelson Mandela Bay area was flagged in an official press notice of the country's largest union federation is important. It gives the campaign wider credibility and raises hopes of greater grassroots democracy.
January 18, 2015
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