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News & Views by Terry Bell
Browsing All posts tagged under »trade unions«
International focus stirs media on farm workers’ plight
It took a report from an international human rights body before the plight of a probable majority of farm workers in South Africa made front page news. But the abuse and mistreatment listed has been complained about for more than a decade by trade unions and welfare organisations working in the agricultural sector.
A strike that should never have happened
August 19, 2011
The responsibility for causing the current strike by municipal workers rests with the refusal of the employers, the SA Local Government Association, Salga, to negotiate with the unions. But much of the sympathy for the strike was lost when marches by strikers were accompanied by "trashing" and by the looting of the stalls of hawkers.
Nationalisation, socialisation & worker control
August 12, 2011
To nationalise or not to nationalise? That is the question — and increasingly so in South Africa today. But what does this mean? And what about socialisation? Or real, democratic, worker control?
Hope on the domestic slavery horizon
August 5, 2011
The International Labour Organisation has finally placed domestic workers — the nannies, maids, chars and house helps — on the same footing as other workers in terms of a decent work agenda. At least in theory. But, as the South African experience shows, there is a very long was to go in practice — and not only for domestic workers.
The most exploited — and largely ignored — workers
July 29, 2011
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 […]
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.
Terry Bell Writes 
August 27, 2011
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