Labour Union has an appetite for strikes.

[Dave A]

There are quite a few reports coming out from the COSATU conference hapening at the moment. Interesting how many of the subjects that have been touched on in this forum are coming up again. The state of the tri-partite alliance, the subtleties of Jeremy Cronin and the SACP, and of course dear Jacob Zuma endearing himself to the poorest of the poor.

I'm fascinated by what makes the headlines, as opposed to what we should be paying attention to. The difference between the journalists need for sensational headlines and the business need for critical information.

For example, the headline in this article on M&G is Satawu: Cost of strikes 'was huge'.

The main story is about the financial state of the union.

The strikes conducted by the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (Satawu) in 2006 came at a "huge" financial cost, the union's general secretary Randall Howard said on Wednesday.

"It [the cost] was huge, with the level of arrests and bailing out comrades and lawyers," he said at Satawu's second national congress in Johannesburg. He declined to mention a figure.

Reports suggesting that the industrial actions had financially ruined the union were "all lies".

"There were those who wanted to run us down by suggesting the union was bankrupt."

Howard said other Congress of South African Trade Union (Cosatu) affiliates had helped to relieve the cost of Satawu strikes. Satawu is Cosatu's fifth-largest affiliate.

But for me, this is where the news that I want to know really starts.

Satawu had already set up a strike fund to support future industrial action, but still needed to decide how members would contribute.

Howard said the union expected more strikes over the next three years as workers' economic conditions worsened.

"It is quite clear, with the widening income inequalities and the fact that we organise workers in vulnerable sectors ... we must [strike more] because employers are becoming more arrogant."

Howard said the rate of inflation could no longer be used to decide wage demands. Inflation-based increases did not cover workers' needs.

So the union has an appetite for strikes and are not going to accpet inflation related increments. Now that is what I need to know.

[Txico]

The cleaning staff at the technikon where I lecture part time has been on strike for two months now. Employers are offering a 6% increase, while the unions demand 14%.

What is interesting to me is that it is a no work / no pay strike. Even at the 14% raise in income, it will take 3 years for every one month they are on strike to recover the lost earnings. They are on strike for 2 months already. Six years!

The union bosses who are urging the strikes are still being paid their monthly salary, but what is interesting is they get a bonus for every 1% above the initial offered price.

I believe the cleaning staff were happy with the 6% - but were forced to strike by intimidation. This setup means union bosses will always hold out to protract a strike - it benefits their pockets directly!

Tony

[Marq]

Maybe one day the sheeple will wake up and turn on the real culprits of their envisaged problems. Until then..................

[Dave A]

This is disturbing.

If anyone tells the workers that they are losing income so that their actual bosses can get a bonus, well that's just arrogant capitalists trying to undermine the union's efforts to alleviate the enslavement of the exploited masses.

They say the only winners in a lawsuit are the lawyers. Seems the only winners in a strike are the union bosses.

And the sheeple go

[Candy Bouwer]

It's Great to be a Souf Efrikan

This is a great country because:

1. You can eat half dried meat and not be considered disgusting.
2. Nothing is your fault, you can blame it all on apartheid.
3. You get to buy a new car every 3 months and the insurance company even pays for it.
4. You can experience kak service in eleven official languages.
5. Where else can you get oranges with 45% alcohol content at rugby
matches?

6. It's the only country in the world where striking workers show how
angry they are by dancing and singing.

7. You're considered clumsy if you cannot: use a cell phone (without car
kit), change CDs, drink a beer, put on make-up, read the newspaper
And smoke, all at the same time while driving a car at 160 kph in a 60 kph
zone.
8. Great accent. (!!!)
9. If you live in Johannesburg, you get to brag about living in the most
dangerous city in the world.
10. Burglar bars become a feature, and a great selling point for your
house.
11. You can decorate your garden walls with barbed wire.
12. The tow-trucks are the first on the scene for most major crimes,
without being called. The police you have to call about three times.
13. Votes have to be recounted until the right party wins.
14. Illegal immigrants leave the country because the crime rate is too
high.
15. The police ask you if they must follow up on the burglary you've just
reported.
16. When a murderer gets a 6 month sentence and a pirate TV viewer 2
years.
17. The prisoners strike and get to vote in elections!
18. The police stations have panic buttons to call armed response when
they are burgled
19. Police cars ar fitted with immobilisers and gearlocks!

Ja nee!! ..........Dis lekker hier!!