State Of A Union
I have nothing against labour unions. I believe they have a fundamental part to play any economy and have a deserved place in even the most capitalistic of systems. Speaking from personal experience the union my father belongs to subsidised my medical costs until I left university and entered the working world. I should also note that as I’ve been alive I can not recall my dad’s union has never called a strike and yet they have never had a pay dispute with employers. Whether that’s the sign of a good union or a bad one I can’t say, all I know is my dad has never had a complaint with them.
That being said if I was a (law abiding, non-murdering) member of SATAWU I would be getting extremely pissed with the union leadership:
- With the average security earning R1500 a month the strike it will take a striker 10 months to earn back the wages he may have lost if SATAWU manages to get the 11% increase. If SATAWU settles for 8.3% like the other unions it will take a year.
- The lawlessness and violence seemingly condoned by SATAWU is not exactly endearing the union to the Labour Dept and making it harder for them to strike in the future, with any further strike action likely to get even less sympathy from government and the public.
- When COSATU is threatening to kick strikers “out of COSATU” you know SATAWU are making enemies when they should be making friends and souring relationships with it’s allies.
New Labour Laws Are Go! 2
Well it seems the idea bandied about by Mbeki and Manuel that new labour laws are on the cards is seemingly more and more a done deal.
Trade unions are of course not happy with COSATU Secretary General Zwelinzima Vavi saying in typical fashion that COSATU will “resist up to the last man”. You know that scene in Austin Powers where Austin is driving a steamroller towards a guard and the guard just screams but doesn’t get out the way despite the fact the steamroller is twenty meters away? Can you guess who is the guard and who is the steamroller in this scenario?
Older posts: 1 2