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News & Views by Terry Bell
Browsing All posts tagged under »trade unions«
Union key to a truly democratic future
September 2, 2012
To see the tragedy at Lonmin in isolation from the other, almost daily, upheavals around the country would be a mistake; they all stem from similar causes. All unions need to join this chorus because the desperate poverty among many miners and their families is the same desperate poverty that afflicts millions, mainly in the rural areas and squatter camps of South Africa. Democratic unionism may hold one of the keys to solving these problems.
Sorting fact from fiction at Marikana
August 23, 2012
Inflammatory propaganda, opportunistic interventions and a narrow, finger pointing focus engaged in by everyone from opposition politicians and government ministers to mine management and some campaigning groups, has added to the tension following the bloodshed at Lonmin's Marikana mine. It is high time to sort out some facts from often self-serving propaganda.
Lonmin: the need for a comprehensive, transparent inquiry
August 22, 2012
It will be a gross error if the proposed commission of inquiry into last week’s tragic events at Lonmin’s Marikana mine focusses solely on the violent incidents at the mine. It would also be a great disservice to the memories of the dead and the injured, as well as to miners and their families everywhere — let alone the country at large.
No angels in bloody SA mine clashes
August 15, 2012
The ongoing tension and violence at South Africa's Lonmin platinum mine is a much more complex and messy business than a simple turf war between unions in the Rustenburg region of the country. At this stage, all that seems clear is that there are no angels in this; no clear good guys and bad guys.
The forgotten legacy of workers’ Olympics
August 10, 2012
Once again, as the summer Olympiad comes to an end, the Ganes are shrouded in some very modern myths that ignore their real origins — and fail to give credit where credit is due. Much of the credit for the fact that women now compete and that men and women from every background are generally included on the basis of ability alone, goes to the labour movement, mainly in Europe, but also in the United States.
Know clearly what you want — and will fight for
August 2, 2012
That there is widespread and apparently growing cynicism within the South African labour movement about politics and politicians is perfectly understandable. Perhaps the lesson to be learned is not only to be careful what you wish for, but to be perfectly clear about what you want and are prepared to fight for.
Hope amid the horror of joblessness and exploitation
July 19, 2012
For all its contradictions the annual Spring Queen pageant, staged by workers in the badly battered Cape Town garment industry, retains a social bite; it is a Cinderella moment that exopresses the hope of a better fife for all — and perhaps the determination to see change happen.
Terry Bell Writes 
September 6, 2012
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