This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
In our Thursday roundup, see summaries
of our selection of South African labour-
related stories that have appeared since
midday on Wednesday, 5 October 2016.
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Cosatu calls on workers to down tools and join its march on Friday IOL News reports that SA is expected to see one of its biggest strikes in recent years with Cosatu saying that it expects about 200,000 of its members to take to the streets on Friday to demand decent work. The leadership of the labour federation said many unions would heed its call to mobilise across all sectors, and it encouraged employees not to go to work. The march, planned to coincide with World Day for Decent Work, will be aimed at ensuring that the government and big business “came to the table”. Read this report by Zintle Mahlati in full at IOL News. See too, Cosatu urges workers to march on Friday for decent work, at SABC News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Zuma urges workers at WFTU congress to keep fighting capitalism The Citizen reports that at the 17th World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) congress on Wednesday, President Jacob Zuma cited the dangers of the capitalist system in his speech. He called on workers to continue fighting the system, saying: “No capitalist society will say to the workers ‘we have heard you, take it and create what you want’.” He stated that capitalism was a system in crisis. Workers thus faced an ongoing struggle globally to respond to this. Read this report by Ngwako Modjadji in full at The Citizen. See too, Zuma calls at WFTU conference for unity among workers of the world, at SABC News Striking UniZulu workers try to crash JZ speech at WFTU congress TimesLive reports that while President Jacob Zuma was addressing delegates at the 17th World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) Congress in Durban on Wednesday, striking University of Zululand (UniZulu) workers tried to bulldoze their way into the venue. Frustrated by Tuesday's court interdict preventing them from protesting on campus, about 90 workers belonging to Nehawu took their fight to the international stage. However, a swift negotiation between security personnel and Cosatu averted a potentially embarrassing situation. The workers have been on strike since 15 August demanding wage increases, among other demands. Read this report by Nathi Olifant in full at TimesLive. See too, UniZulu workers protest outside international trade union conference, at News24
Solidarity Movement aims to bring universities back on track SABC News reports that the Solidarity Movement, which includes trade union Solidarity, on Wednesday announced a ten point plan to help bring universities back on track and have the academic year continued with. The Movement claims to represent thousands of students and their parents. Chairperson of the Movement, Flip Buys, said the crisis at universities was not about free education anymore, but the future of tertiary education. He stated that it was unacceptable that a small minority of riotous students was depriving the vast majority of students of their right to study. As part of the ten point plan, the Movement would work with other organisations to develop a funding model for worthy students. Read this report by Liela Magnus in full at SABC News. See too, Student protests have gone too far: Solidarity, at SABC News. Read Solidarity’s ten point plan at Politicsweb Cosatu leader explains fees protest at WFTU congress after Zuma ignores it News24 reports that, while President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday failed to mention the national crisis over tertiary education fees at the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) Congress, Cosatu leader Sidumo Dlamini was more forthcoming on the matter. Addressing over 1,200 delegates in Durban, Dlamini said the crisis had to be mentioned. He indicated that the union federation supported the protests, but condemned violence and damage to property. Dlamini added that Cosatu believed the government was willing to help resolve the education crisis and said there were interventions from government which Cosatu supported. Read this report by Kaveel Singh in full at News24. See too, Zuma silent on education crisis at international trade union event, at News24 Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Transport union UNTU reports brutal murder of member The United National Transport Union (UNTU) reports the brutal murder of one of its members, Thandi Nocela, who was killed in Sasolburg on Saturday morning by a male known to her. The suspect has been arrested. Nocela worked as a Yard Official at the Sasolburg Yard for four years. Steve Harris, General Secretary of UNTU, noted that that every eight hours a South African woman is killed by her partner or someone known to her, which ranks SA as the highest in this respect in the world. He called on the police and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to ensure that Nocela’s death did not just become another statistic. Read UNTU’s press statement in this regard at SA Labour News
Sibanye’s Cooke 4 operations back in business following union clashes Business Report writes that Sibanye Gold on Wednesday resumed its Cooke 4 operations following clashes between members of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu), which left four miners injured. The clashes were as a result of illegal industrial action, which started on Monday. The action was called off on Tuesday. The NUM alleged that its members had been attacked by Amcu. Read this report by Manyane Manyane in full at Business Report. Read Sibanye’s press statement at Sharenet NUM member who was attacked at Sibanye's Cooke operation dies ANA reports that a National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) member who was attacked and severely assaulted at Sibanye’s Gold Cooke 2 operation, allegedly by Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) members, died on Wednesday morning. Ranthimo Nkosi, a Jonrik contractor, suffered severe head injuries. The NUM strongly condemned the killing and called on Sibanye to take full responsibility for the death after it failed to provide security to protect him. Sibanye said earlier that four employees were injured by unknown assailants in the early hours of Tuesday, two of them seriously. Read this report in full at Mining Weekly Amplats believes wage deal at its platinum mines ‘fairly close’ Reuters reports that Chris Griffith, CEO of Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), said on Wednesday that wage talks with unions, including the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) which is the majority union at the company’s Rustenburg mines, were "fairly close" to a deal. Neither side in the wage talks has revealed the latest demands or counter offers. Griffith also remains confident the disposal of the platinum producer’s labour-intensive Rustenburg mines to Sibanye Gold will clear the last regulatory hurdle in 2016. But a wage deal does not need to be sealed in order to complete the disposal. Read this report in full at SABC News. Read too, Amplats ‘not too far from settling’ wage pact, at Moneyweb Amcu says platinum wage talks at a critical stage Reuters reports that wage talks are at a "critical stage" between the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) and Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), Impala Platinum and Lonmin. This was said by the union's president Joseph Mathunjwa on Thursday. He would not say if Amcu had moved from its original demands of a pay hike close to 50%. Amplats' chief executive said earlier on Wednesday that his company was "fairly close" to sealing a wage agreement with Amcu and other unions. This short report is at Reuters
Edcon to add more than 2,000 staff in hiring spree for retail stores Bloomberg reports that Edcon Holdings, owner of the Edgars and Jet chains, plans to increase its workforce by almost 7% and slash prices as SA’s largest clothing retailer kick-starts a recovery plan. The company is seeking to lure customers back to its stores with more than 2,000 new staff specifically trained in the clothing ranges in their departments. The move will help to undo the impact of job cuts made by Edcon in 2007. CEO Bernie Brookes said on Wednesday: “I expect by the time we finish we will end up putting 2,500 people back into the stores to provide good customer service.” About a fifth of those may come from stores Edcon is closing, while the rest will be hired. Read this report by Janice Kew in full at Moneyweb
Rapid transit bus petrol bombed and torched in Pretoria on Wednesday ANA reports that arsonists petrol bombed an A Re Yeng rapid transit bus in Pretoria on Wednesday, leaving four passengers and the driver injured. The bus was extensively damaged by the fire. Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport Ismail Vadi on Thursday called on law enforcement agencies in Tshwane to react swiftly and arrest the perpetrators of the “cowardly” attack. MMC for Transport in Tshwane, Shiela Senkubuge, said the A Re Yeng bus services would operate normally with Tshwane Metro Police escorts. Read this report in full at Engineering News Other internet posting(s) in this news category
Parks Tau has new job at Salga, with his eye on a global position BDLive reports that former Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau’s new job keeps him in the local government sector as he has been appointed chairman of the SA Local Government Association (Salga). Tau was also recently appointed to the advisory board of the World Resources Institute (WRI) as it establishes itself in Africa. Tau plans to stand this month for the presidency of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)‚ a global body, in Bogota‚ Columbia. Read this report in full at BDLive
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