The mass turnouts on the protest strike called by Saftu on Wednesday in major centres around the country revealed that the newest federation is probably here to stay. And the sniping from the sidelines by Cosatu and Fedusa did nothing to boost their fortunes. However, amid the tension and turmoil there was some hope.
April 8, 2018
(Inside Labour – first published in City Press 04.04.2018) South Africa’s trade union movement is in a state of flux. But, largely at a bureaucratic level at this stage, a battle is raging, between the various federations competing for both affiiiates and wider support. Focus over the past week has been on the tripartite National […]
March 31, 2018
The response to the April 25 general strike call by the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) and the turnouts and attitudes expressed at coming May Day rallies should provide a good indication of the mood of a widely disgruntled labour movement. It may also provide a clear union response to President Cyril Ramaphosa's newly announced Youth Employment Scheme.
October 25, 2013
The moral high ground bequeathed to Suth Africa and its post-apartheid government by the global struggle against apartheid, has also all but evaporated, but faint hope still remains.
May 29, 2013
Potentially turbulent and conflicting currents among trade union federations have been exposed following an attempt by deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe to calm troubled labour relations waters.
April 18, 2013
Who would have thought, even a matter of weeks ago, that the issue of toll roads could become a potential political tipping point for members of the governing ANC-led alliance? Yet so it is — and no more so than in the Western Cape where Cosatu and the ANC find themselves on the same side as the opposition DA in opposing the introduction of road tolls to Cape Town’s two main traffic arteries.
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.
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.
April 28, 2018
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