AD1715-13-12-2-001-jpeg - Historical Papers

9
Iphepha Labasebenzi
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ABASEBENZI
KWIBODI YEMIVUZO
N g o l w e s i h l a n u w e 3 k u M a y , k w a d i b a n a i b odi y e m i m v u z o esekwe ngurul u m e n t e , ukuva ubungqina kubantu abasebenza
kumzi wentlanzi.
Abasebenzi abaninzi bathi basela
kumemezo ngamaphetshana kule ntlanganiso, abangama
30 u b a n i n z i . B e z a b e v e l a k w e z i n d a w o , z e n t s h o n a k o l o n i , e z i z e z i P o r t N o l l o t h , L a m b e r t s Bay, n a s e
S a l d a n h a Bay, e m a z a n t s i , n a l a p h a eKapa.
A m a q u r u a w a y e m e l e a b a s e b e n z i a n i k a u b u n g q i n a k u qala.
Emva koko yaba ngabaqeshi.
Baba babini kuphela
abas e b e n z i a b a t h e t h a kule bodi.
Kwabalusizi kodwa
k w a k u n g e k h o k u n c e d a kuba umhlali-ngaphambili wale
bodi w a f u n a k u p h e l a u k u c u t h a ingxoxo.
Abasebenzi abaninzi bafuna ukuthetha kodwa umhlali
n g a p h a m b i l i - w a l a m p e l a a b a b a s e b e n z i b a b i n i b a t h e t h a yo
bathso ngoku nco mekayo kakhulu.
Umhlali-ngaphambili
w a y i n q u m l a i n tlanganiso k u b a w a y e f u n a ukuhamba nge
n q w e l o - m o ya.
A b a s e b e n z i x a n g a n a b a b e l i f u m e n e I thuba.
Sobona ke ukuba l e bodi-yemivuzo ya thatha ingqalelo
n g e z i k a l o z a b a s e b e n z i n a b a m e l i ba bo.
Bonke ababantu
bafuna I R 3 5 . n g e v e k i , njenge siseko somvuzo wokuphila.
Abaqeshi banika ngaphantsi kakhulu k w e s i s i c e l o - n g e v e k i .
B a t h i a b a n a k h o n g o k w e n x h o w a - m a l i z a b o e z i n g e n a nto,
k o d w a z a n g e b a b e m a k u s i x h o l i s a u g a loonto.
Kwinyanga ezimbalwa umphathiswa weze-misebenzi
uyakuba nesigqibo ngalo mbandela wemivuzo.
Abasebenzi
b o b o n a oko kuba ilizwi laba liyavakala kwezimeko
zinzima kangaka.
INKOKELI YAMAPHANDLE IHLASELA UCALU-CALULO
KWIMANYANO.
K w a n g e l i x e s h a , Mnu. B a r n e y D l a d l a , o n g u m p h a thiswa Kwazulu, uthe w a h l asela injongo
yokwahlakanisa imanyano zabasebenzi.
Wathi
u TUCSA (onamalungu amhlophe nawebala kupela)
uzama ukuphatha imanyano ezimnyama ngokwa kha
ezisemacaleni. Ngokwenza ezisemacaleni
u T U C S A une theba lokubamba ngqongqo ezimnyama.
Uhambe wathi u TUCSA uy® wazo hlula ezimnyama
enatala.
Z a n g e a n c e d i s e n g o m z a b a l a z o k a 1973,
e n g a z a n g e a m d l a k a z e u r u l u m e n t e x a w a y e t he
w a v a l e l a a m a l u n g u a m a n e e z i n o l i n i zawo.
" Imanyano ezibalisiweyo ngokusemthethweni
^ziba n i k e l a umva abasenzi abam n y a m a " . Zezi
nianyano e n g e z i n c e d a a m a w & k a - w a k a a b a s e b e n z i
abamnyama kwaye "ixesha elikhalu, adilusizi
ukuthi b a v u m e l a ezona me k o glmbi hgabasebenzi
abamnyama" .
Mnu. D l a d l a w a z i w a k a k h u l u e n a t a l a p h a k a t hi
k w a b a s e b e n z i n j e n g o m t h e t h e l e l i wa:bo,. w a y e
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ISILUNGISO
K wiphepha lika September, 1973 "Abasebenzi" inqaku elithi "Clements
Kadalie ne I.C.U." Lathi uKadalie wacela ubulungu be I.C.U. bamkelwe
n g o w a b a m h l o p h e , SATUC, ngo 1928, ngelozesha inani lamalungu e I.C.U.
lali yo 500,000. Kwelo nqaku kwathi kwathelekiswa SATUC ne TUCSA.
Lentelekiso yayisisiboniso sokufana ngenkqubo bakathi kwale mibutho
mibini - i.e. uku qokelela yonke imubuthwana yomanyano. Sifuna
ukucacisa, k e n g o k o , yayingenguwo umbutho looka Kadalie wayecela
ukungena kuwo. Sifuna kwakbona ukubonisa impazamo kwinani lamalungu
kaKadalie ngeloxesha. Nangona loKadalie wayesithi i I.C.U. inamalungu
ayi kwe 50,000. UKadalie ngenyani wacela ukungena k u SATUC ngo
1928 ngokuthi une 100,000 yamalungu.
INDLELA YOKUFUNDISA ABASEBENZI KWEZINYE INDAWO EMZATITSI-AFRIKA
IMIBUTHO YONCEDO EBOLTON HALL, DURBAN
E-Durban, indlela 20 kufunda nokulawula imanyano ezibalisiweyo
nezabamnyama, iziko lwemanyano zabasebenzi ziya qhu tywa yi
Wages Commission yase University of Natal, neziko lemfundisomsebenzi, nemibuthu yoncedo yangaphakathi negalelo elifundisa
ezidolophini. Ezimanyano zine zezi:1. Abasebenzi mpahla yendlu. (Furniture)
2. Abasebenzi zingubo.
3. Abenza impahla yoku nxiba.
4. Abombayo inkcenkce. (Metals)
IWages Commission inceda ukubalisa abasebenzi abantsundu
kwezi manyano zine okanye kwi Benefit Fund. Kuyimfuneko
kakhulu ngantsasa yango mgqibelo xa amakhulu abasebenzi esiza
kubalisa E Bolton Hall okanye eze kuhlawula imirumo. I
Wages Commission kwakhona iya ezifektri, bancedise kwizikhalazo
ezize kwi Benefit Fund ngabasebenzi.
Iziko lokufundisa-kusebenza (I.I.E.) 1inika imfundo-mbalelwano
ngemanyano zabasebenzi kubo bonke abasebenzi. Kulo nyaka ina
120 yabafunda ngembalelwano. I.I.E. kwakhona iyila indibanwana
zengqondo apho kuxoxwa ngezifundo. Izifundo zingesingesi
nesizulu okwangoku, kodwa namanye amalwimi kwakuba lithuba.
I (C.A.S.) inika uncedo ngezolawulo, indawo ze ofisi, nendlelazemanyano ekukhwela zona nonobala nemibutho eya yameneyo.
Lamaqela asese Bolton Hall kodwa ke kuya se tyenzelwa nase
Pietermaritzburg.
Indlela yo qe qesho ezidolophini, yona iofisi yayo eyintloko
ise rautini inomfundisi E Durban ose Bolton Hall. Uyafundisa
abasenzi nge manyano, neekomiti nezino ndla kubasebenzi. Le
nkqu&o yo qeqesho iyahambisana ne I.I.E. nenjongo zayo.
Ngaphezu kwe 60,000 yabasebenzi amelwe zimanyano ne Benefit
Fund e Bolton Hall, nezi manyano zine sikhe sazikhankanya
zifundisa zinceda kuyo yonke lemibandela. Kwa khona I
Black Sash aneofisi yokucebisa ngamapasi, nabafundi base
University of Natal bajonge ikliniki yokunceda ngomthetho,
E Bolton Hall .
I Workers Advisory Project
iyilwe liqumru labantu
e l i n a b a s e n z i , a b a f u n d i kwi
U.C.T. Wage Commission,
abafundisi ntsapho kwi
dyunivesiti kunye nabanye,
injongo zalento kukunika
abasebenzi isiseko
semvelaphi yemeko zabase­
benzi apha ekapa ukunika
ft h«-Rph^ri7.i hftfu nrta ngn 1ungRZft 1e lfl
izifundo zemithetho
I- Manual vabo enshqt.
yamashishini. Nokufundisa
ukuqhutywa kwekomiti
nemanyano zabasebenzi, uku etyenzwa kwezikhalazo nokufuna
i m i v u z o k u b a q e s h i n j a l o - n j lo.
Lenqhubo inenlukacha ende (Kwisingesi nakwisixhosa)
(l- M a n u a ) e q u q u m b e l a i n t l a n g a n i s o z e m i q g i b e l o a b o i n g x o x o
kwingongoma ezahlukeneyo ziqhutywak khona intlanganiso
yokuqala yoba ngomhla wesine ku May apho kwabakho
amalungu kumashishini ayi-11 apho kwaziswa konke ngezifundo
e z i , k u b e l a p h o n a b a s e b e n z i b a b e n o k u z i k h u p h a k o n a izinrvo
zabo. X s i q e n d u s o k u q a l a k w e z i z i f u n d o z a m k w a k w a b o b a b e k h o .
Abasebenzi babanemihiali emikhulu ngezizifundo benomdla
kakhulu ngokwazi ngengcombolo zemithetho abafanekeke uba
babenayo ukuze babe nombutho odibeneyo noqhinileyo,
babenomdla ngokupheleleyo ukwazi ngendlela zokuzakuzelela
imivuzo nemeko ezizizo zokusebenza ngokwasemthethweni
nendlela sokuqinqgwa kwemivuzo nokuqeqeshwa ngobuchule
bokuzakuzelela imali nemeko zokusebenza kubaqeshi
ezingongoma zokufakwa kwakamsinya kule-manual.
Abasebenzi bazame ukumemeza
bakhe iqilimba lombutho.
namwabanye
ukuba
badibane
PROJEGT
Bacalisa ngoku kodwa ngemfuneko yemfundiso eyiyo
noqeqesho lwabasebenzi xa befuna impumelelo kwinzame
zabo, b a b i z a n e z i n y e ikomiti k w i - f a c t o r y .
Ubazize
k v i n t l a n g a n i s o ze A d v i c e P r o j e c t .
Nabasebenzi
abangekho zikomitini ukuba bezekufunda indlela
zokuziseka.
Ezintlanganisi zolongana nazo nengxaki
zomntu ngamnye. Kvintlanganiso yokuqala zavela
isikhalazo zasetyenzwa , ezintlanganisi .
Zingabaluleka
ekubeni abasebenzi badibane beve ngengxaki zabanye
nendawo aboyise kuzo.
Bathathe amava kwingxaki
zabanye.
Sothemba ukuba ezintlaniso noba abasebenzi
bokwanda ukuzaliso lendibano kwabo bayiqalileyo.
Abasebenzi abavela kwifactory eziyi-11 balibathu
ilikhuthazayo. Kodwa ukwenza impumeleio kofuneka
abantu kumashishini oake bedibene beme kunye
bafumane ulwazi oluyimfanelo ukuze babe nombutho
oqinileyo wokubamela.
Intlanganiso zibakho yonke imiqgibelo
ngo 2 . 3 0 p.m. e B .E.S.L. Hall,
K l i p f o n t e i n Road, Athlone.
Bonke
abasebenzi bamkelekile aba
"Hbeqalile bayivifuna inxhaso
^ *-nu.
S o t h e m b a u b a s o n i b o n a k u l o mqgibel-o.
i-TUC YAHAMBELA l-SA
^
Phakathi komhla we-6 ne-20 oktobha, kwafika apha e-Mzantsi
Afrika amalungu amakhulu ombutho wabasebenzi base-Britani ,
oyi (T.U.C.).
Babezindwendwe zombutho wabasebenzi abamhlophe balapha i - ( T . U . C . S . A . ).
Iinjongo zolutyelelo zazizezokuphanda ngeendlela, neengocongoco zabasebenzi bonke
beli lizwe, nangendlela r-Rulumente walapha aqhuba ngayo
n a b a s e b e n z i , nemibutho y a b o , ikakhulu abasebenzi abamnyama.
Ngelixesha balichitha kweli lizwe, lamalungu e-T.U.C.
a dlana indlebe naba n t u abaninzi kweli, abanenxaxhebe kwezos e b e n z i , ukususela kwinkulumbuso (Mnu. Vorster), umphathiswa
wezemisebenzi (Mnu. Viljoen) ukuza kuthi xhaxhe kubasebenzi
a bantsundu abangekho phantsi kwemibutho y a b a s e b e n z i .
U-Mnu. Viljoen wawaxelela lamalungu ukuba kuye kwakhiwa
imiqathangu ebalulekileyo enje ngekomiti zabasebenzi neekomiti zabaqeshi.
Kodwa ama-Afrika akakabikho kumgangatho
weemanyano (Trade Unions).
Waye esithi kufuneka ukuba
bafundise, baqeqeshwe, babe namava, ethetha ukuthi amaA f r i k a akanazo ezindawo.
Kodwa u-Mnu, Viljoen wayivuma
into yok u b a nakwabamhlophe basekhona abangafikeleliyo kulomgangatho weemanyano.
Kodwa akabavaleli ukuba bazimanye
ne-(Trade Unions) ingakumbi a m a - A f r i k a n e r .
U-Mnu. Vorster waxelelwa ukuba zikhona iimanyano eziqhuba
ngokwanelisekileyo.
A k u b u z w a okokuba engazamkeli nj
uphendule wathi akanakho kuba zinobupolitika obukhulu
phakathi (ngathi imibutho ayinabo).
U-Mnu. Viljoen wakucinezela ukubaluleka kwemfundo kwiimanyano
zabasebenzi.
Wathi imfundo ngonyanzelo iyakubakho ekuhambeni kwexesha, kuma-Afrika.
Akazange axele ukuba nini na.
L amalungu adlana indlebe nabameli be-Central Administrative
Services (C.A.S.) olisebe lwabasebenzi bequmru lomanyano
lwezempahla (Garment Workers Union) e - D u r b a n .
Isebe lemfundo yomsebenzi weza n d l a nawo wadlana indlebe nalamalungu.
Najnalungu ecal loncedo lika-N.U.S.A.S. , osebenza ne-C.A.S.
n amal u n g u abo e-Kapa nase-Durban.
Babonana ne-Urban
Training Project, ethe yona yenza intlanganiso yokufundisa
abasebenzi kabini e-Kapa.
Kunyaka ophelileyo, yabona
amalungu ombutho wemvano lweentlanga (institute of Race
Relations) nowuxhasa ucalulo (SABRA), nemibutho yabantsundu
ngokufanelekileyo.
I-T.U.C. yadibana no-TUCSA neminye
imibutho yabasebenzi a b a m h l o p h e .
Ezi zithunyva zachaph&zela ukubaluleka kwemibandela yezentlalo nobupolitika kvimibandela yokusebenza e-Mzantsi
Afrika.
Baqondisva ukuba ama-AfriJca aluthiyile ucalucalulo.
Kwakhona bafumanisa okokuba abaphathi bemisebenzi
(managers) abahambisana nokungabi nazwi kwabasebenzi abaNtsundu, nangona iphinda nje ibe kwangabo abangxama ngokubiza amapolisa axhobileyo xa kukhu ukungavisisani phakathi
kwabo n a b a s e b e n z i . Ezi zithunyva zafumana ukuphelelwa
lunyamezelo lwabaNtsundu, bash u s h u befuna ukungena ezingxoxweni n g o k u p h e l e l e y o .
Umsebenzi ulapha ezidolophini
a g o k u p h e l e l e y o , njengokuba u-Rulumente engafuni ukuyiqonda
lo nto.
Ezi zithunyva zafumanisa ukuba nangona u-Mzantsi Af r i k a
uqhubela phambili k w e z e m v e l i s o , umsebenzi omnyama ubaluleke
kakhulu.
Kungoko kufuneka bangene (ngokutsho kwe-T.U.C.)
kwimibutho(Trade Unions) ingabi zikomiti zabasebenzi nabaqeshi.
Bakholelwa ukuba kufuneka umanyano kubo bonke
abantu ukuze ilizwe liqonde, no-Mzantsi Af r i k a ngokunjalo.
Bathembise oku ke ukulungiselela abasebenzi abantsundu.
Abazi kukhuthaza ukuza kwabasebenzi 1.
abamhlophe ukuza kuthabatha imisebenzi yabantsun^u,
2.
ukuzama indlela yokuba abasebenzi abaNtsundu babe
neemanyano zabasebenzi,
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Yi nto le eeaoisa
ukuba kungokuba sizimele n g o k wethu ukuze sifikelele kwimfundo
yethu, singathembeli kubanye abantu abanengxaki zabo ngokwabo.
A b a b a n t u ababuva ubunzima beemeko zabasebenzi boMzantsi Afrika, ngoko ke ngabasebenzi kuphela abanokuzinceda.
Ingxaki yomsebenzi ngamnye incedwa ngabanye njengoko isitsho
ne-T.U.C.
Kwezi nzame abasebenzi no-Mzantsi Afrika banetsikelelo ka T.U.C. ngenxa yokuba i-T.U.C. ikude, ineengxaki
zayo.
Abasebenzi abamhlophe babathatha abantu abantsundu
ngokungathi bangcangcazelisa imeko y a b o .
Ngokukhutshwa y i :
"
Khomishini Yemivuzo,
SRC, University of
Cape Town, Rondebosch
lasued by:
Wages Commission,
3 R C , University cf
Cape Town, Rondcbosch.
Steeldale Works Committee
Ciranville A v e
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mkela zesazise y e n ? "
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hetho Phantsi kwe Advisory Proj??t ethi
ibekho ngayo yonke imiqgibelo.
N g a k o oke uthe y a n o m p h u m o omhle w o k u b a umaeshi
U k u g w a l a s e l w a ngu mqes h i n a b a ne C o m m i t t e e
geslawa u k h a w u l e z s w e ilungiswe.
Nawe ke u y a s o w e n f a k e l a ilungisa.
enKosi,
R. V. SIZANI.
ABASEBEN Zl
2
Iphepha Labasebenzi
T7.TFUND0
ZABASEBENZI
NgemiGqibelo emalanga abasd&qftfci >ayak*iba nezifundo
ngezabasebenzi e-Flakeni. I $ > aseb^nji' bayakuba befunda
ngemfuneko yokuqokelelana L ^ g a b a s e b e n p , nendlela y o k u y iq h u b a le nto.
Ezi zifundo ziyakuphuma kwi-"Workers Advisory Project",
enxulumene ne-Advice Bureau.
Iyakuba se-British Ex-Servicemen's Hall,
Klipfontein Road,
ATHLOHE.
Ixesha:
2.30 p.m., ngomGqibelo, h Meyi.
Bonke abasebenzi k u y a k ufuneka beze namalungu e-Komiti.
Athlone
Town Hall
Langa 4 Guguletu
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Power
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HALL
Eoan
Group
Centre
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ATHLOHE
Shops
I-advice bureau
ikhinkqiwe
ngabasemagunyeni
Iziko lokucebisa abasebenzi bephondo lwekapa (Advice
Bureau) lusukhinkqiwe ngabesemagunyeni. I office
elawula abantsundu ayivumi ukwenza I mvume yo
mququzeleli wa yo, yaye omnye umncedisi uthe wabanjwa
woyi ki swa.
Sekuli thy tyana ivaliwe iofisi yayo, yaye kungalindelekanga, ukuba ivulwe iveki ezimbalwa. I Advice
Bureau ithe yadlalana indlebe namagqwetha ayo, kwaye
uku ba abasemagunyeni abavumi ukwenza 1e mvume
zizakubasa emthethweni.
Nangona, kunjalo umququzeleli evalelekile, uthewona
umsebenzi wahamba kakhulu. Bazi bonakalisile
abasebenzi ukuba abanakuva ngamntu bayamanyana beyila
neekomiti zabo.
lye yacaca okokuba, abase magunyeni bayichasile, into
yokuba abasebenzi bamanyane besiza nezikhalo zabo,
kwaye baya koyika ukuvela ngamandla. Ukuvela
kwekomiti zaba sebenzi, ezaichiwa ngamandla ekapa,
enatala nase goli.
Lento ayingeni, kuba ngaba semagunyeni abenza
umthetho wokonyula I komiti kwipalamente yabo kunyaka
ophelileyo. Asazi injongo yinto mina kwabase magunyeni
xa abantu besenza ngoku yalelwa ngumthefcho owenziwe
ngabo. Kodwa apha ekapa abasebenzi befektri ezinga
ngaphezu kwe 3J bazibonakalisile ukuba abasayi koyiki
swa. Baya kuzikhusela neentsapho zaba kwezidla bona
emsebenzini ngokusemthe thweni.
I-ADVICE BUREAU
Nangona I Advice Bureau isavaliwe, abasebenzi maba
ngacingi okokuba baswele ukwenza. Mabasebenzise
awabo amandla, nezabo iziphiwo, bamanyane nabanye.
Baboniseni abase magunye ni ukuba ninako ukizimanyana
ngaphandle koku ncediswa. Manyanani :
IKOMITI ZABASEBENZI: Ngumsebenzi wenu ukubonisa abo
bangekangeni kwezinye ifektri. Baboniseni oseku
nikufumene.
BASEBENZI: Intshukumo enkulu i yazi bonakalisa kulo
lonke elelizwe. Abasebenzi bayadibane ukuzikhusela,
ukufumana imuvuzo eyiyo, nokuphucula indawo
abasebenzakuzo.
BAHLANGABEZENI - MANYANANI1.
IPHEPA
LABASEBENZI
E l i l i n q a k u l e s i b o z o (8) l e p h e p a l a b a s e b e n z i
elishic i l e l w a ekapa, uk u s u s e l a k u n y a ophelileyo.
K o d w a asifuraani n g x e l o k u b a sebe n z i .
Qiniseka
okokuba i fektri yakho inomntu emonyulileyo
yokwazisa "ABASEBENZI" ngezinto ezinidlayo.
Sixe leleni n g e z i k h a l a z o , izoyiso, nemizamo yonke
y e n u , a b a p h a t h i b e n u n j a l o —n j a l o .
Onmye umbandela ngowokuba wonke umntu abenethuba
lokufunda eliphepha.
Akufuneki linikezelwe
ezithalatweni,
E y o n a n d l e l a k u k u b a k u b e k h o untntu
omnye efektri olihambisayo. Ukuba ufuna
u k w e n z a loo nto, sibalele igamane address yakho.
Xa "ABASEBENZI" eshicilelwe soku thumela ibathu
ukuze ulisasaze kubo abasenzi bakho ngexisha
elifanele kileyo.
ukubaluleka
kokumanyana
kwabasebenzi
isihogo ngoku iyinto umntu adalelwe uba
makayonze kubaluleke ngokukodwa ke ngoko
ukuba imibutho efana n e - W e s t e m Province
Workers Advice Bureau, imanyano zabasebenzi,
I-Wages Commisssion funeka zibekho ukunceda
abasebenzi kwizikhalazo zabo nasekuzimanyeni
nasekuzakuzeleleni intlawulo ephathekayo
njalo-njalo. Njengoko kundzima kubasebenzi ukuba
bazimele ngaphandle kokugzothwa. Xa sijongana nemeko
yethu apha kwi "WESTERN PROVINCE" sofumana kukho
I-Western Province Workers Advice Bureau umbutho
oiongene nokunceda abasebenzi kwizikhalazo zabo
ibisajongene nokuzama ukuqokelela abasebenzi
ekuyileni I-Work-Conmittees ililinge libeneziqhamo
ezihle kumashisnini amaninzi.
Kubululeke ngokukodwa uba abasebenzi bamanyane
babe liqilimba lokulwa izinto ezingafanelekanga
ezithi zibahlele bengabasebebzi. Ukuze
ubasebenzi baqonde ukubaluleka kolumanyano,
abasebenzi kufuneka baqonde uba umsebenzi
yiyonanto ijonge ukuphila kwabo, ukukhulisa
intsapho zabo. Ukufundisa, ukutya, irente.
Ukuhlawulwa kwezinto zendlu, imiglobo.
Nempilo njalo-njalo ngoko ke ukusebenzela
imali yayo yonke lento nanje ngoba ezizinto
zinokufumangka ngenzame nemigudu yeminyakanyaka, kubalulekile uba lendlela inye
zingafumaneka ngayo ingemsebenzi kufuneka
ubenemeko zokusebenza ezifanelekileyo ezifana
nokonwaba emphefumlweni komsebenzi, nokuzinza
njalo-njalo. Ekuyifumaneni yonke lento
akuzange kubekho basebenzi abafumana izinto
nje ngokuzinqwenela okanye ngokuthengisana
kubaqeshi bafumane imalungelo afanelekileyo
ngokuma kunye. Abanye banganomola ukwazi
ukuba abasebenzi kufuneka bedityaniswe
yintonina nento emabatilwele. Phambi kokuba
lombuzo uphenduleke nokuba kuqondakale
ukubaluleka kwawo. Kofuneka abasebenzi
beqonde uba abaqeshi beme kunye beliqilimba
elijonge ukuzenyusa bengazijongange imfuno
zabasebenzi banbalwa abaqeshi abathi bazithathele
umqwalasela ezimfuno zikhankanywe ngentla
zabasebenzi, abaninzi bakhusela abanako
ngabasebenzi lemeko yenza lento "INGUMZEBANZI"
IIMANYANO
Kukho abasebenzi bakwa steeldale abeza kungena
I-Advice Bureau bengazi mithetho baphantsi kwayo
konke, kodwa bengenelisekanga yinqyubo. Izame
I-Advice Bureau ukuqokelela bonke abasenzi
kweloshishini likhulu bayila ikomiti ekuthwa yiWork-Committee yaba yimigudu emlkhulu ke leyo
nanjengoba abasebenzi balo firm bengazange baxoxe
ngokuthe nogo nabaqeshi kodwa ngenzame ze Advice
Bureau ukubabonisa ngokhugelo lomthetho onalo
kubasebenzi abasebenzi bayiyila I-Work Committee
kwaze kwathi phambi kokuba lekomiti ishichilelwe
epitoli baba abaqeshi sebenesentana abazithe chatha
kubasebenzi. Emveni kokuba ikomiti ishichilelwe
epitoli baqala abasebenzi ukulwela amalungelo abo
abawabona ekubeni bengene I-Advice Bureau, lonto
yabaneziqhamo angeke umntu azikholelwe kuba kwathi
kwakuya ikomiti abaqeshi bavuma ukuba amanye
amalungelo abasebenzi bebensasawazi. Lento
yabakhuthaza abasebenzi yade yafikelela kwindawo
ubaqeshi abangabanga nakumelana nazo baze bazama
ukufake "I-Liason Committee" lekomiti yahlula
abasebenzi abanye bamele abaqeshi abanye bamele
abasebenzi bayala yonke lonto abasebenzi ngokubona
uba izakubachitha.
ZABO
BON
A
R A C C B E K I 7 1
Eli bakala libhalwe
ngomnye m n q u q u z e l i .
ASABENZI BELIZWE LON ISE
UKWAY0 NOMZABALAZO BAVALA I F E M U .
U mzantsi-Afrika ayinguwo uphela uku qhatha abasebenzi.
E Ame r i c a apho umntu omnyama unamalu ngelo afana
n w a o m h l o p h e , apho ucalulo luluncinci abasebenzi
basacinezelwa.
Umzekelo ophandle yi Farah Co. e Texas, eyenza impahla
yokuniba. Abasebenzi bayi 10,000 ikakhulu bamnyama.
Abaphathi bane ndavo xa ulula, nokutya amaxa biso
mancinci, baya khweliswa xabaya e m s e b e n z i n i , unayo
n o m h l a l a - p h a n t s i . Yonke lento ikhangeleka ntle,
nabathathi baqiniseka ukuba abantu b a y a k h o l w a .
Kodwa abasebenzi babe nguvumelekanga ukuba babe
nombutho wabo. Abaphathi babe ngavumi uku xoxa n a b o .
Abasebenzi babona ukuba abanaxabiso, abaphathi
bangenza into abayinqo ndayo, ngabo (ngaba kunjalo
emzantsi-Afrika) abasebenzi, bazama ukwaktha umbutho.
Inkokeli zabo z a g z o t h w a . Baqala bazabalaza ukusesela
kumhla ka May 21, 1972 kude kube ngoku umntu owaqala
lento likroti lomsebenzi ogama lingu Caesar Chavez.
Waq u q u zele la ukwayo, imizabalazo, nokwayo le femu
Farah. Olukwayo lwasusela e Texas lwaya kuyo yonke
I America, yagubungela ilizwe l o n k e . Ngomhla ka Farah
1972 ukwayo-lizwe lomzi wakwa Farah Iwaqala.
Ngenxa yokunyathelo lingakanana, lomanyano umzi wakwa
Farah wabanelahleko ekwi R6, 000,000 kulonyaka wodwa ka
1972. Ngo 1973 ingeniso iyonke y e h l a yaya kwi R 2 , 000,000
Waba nokuma kakubi njalo lomzi. Izigidi zabantu kulo
lonke ilizwe zala ukuthenga impahla ebalweu Farah.
Njengoko silindele aba phathi baba qumbela abasebenzi.
Usibonda we dolophu nabanye oso mashishini. namapolisa
abanovelwano no Farah. Amapolisa ababetha ebafaka
izinja e c h i t h a i n t l a n g a n i s o , nabanqandi b a s e b e n z i .
(Abanqanoi ukuba kunga p h a n g e l w a .)
Amapolisa ayesoyikisa abantu nase makhayeni okokuba
baphangele. Yonke loo nto zange incede nto, kuba babe
zimisele bemanyene. Ayikho into enoku thintela abasebenzi
xa bemanye n e . Iz-iphatha-mandla zayibonaloo nto. I
dolophu yabelekva nangabakhenketi. Abasebenzi babe tha
imali bencediswa yeminye imibutho ukutyisa intsapho zabo.
Emva kweenyanga ezingama.21, usibonda wedolopho,
amapfclisa no Farah anikezela.
Bonke abasebenzi babuyela kwa Farah. Abaphathi bavuma
ukuthetha nomanyano 1wabasebenzi lika Caesar Chavez (U
manyano lwabasebenzi mpahla).
Yaba lulo yiso olukhuhu olo lwabasebenzi base America.
Le ncwadi ivela kumsebenzi okwishishini l e e n t l a n z i .
Ukuba ngaba
kukho abanye abasebenzi a b a k w e l i s h i s h i n i , abanezikhalazo nabo,
kufuneka baye kwintlanganiso ye-Wage Board e-Thomas Boydell
Building go-9.30 ngolwesiHlanu uxnhla we-3 M e y i , kusasa.
NANTSO INCWADI EBALWE HGOMNYE UMSEBENZI
Dear Sir,
Ndineminyaka emihlanu ndisebenza kwa-Irvin & Johnson, kodwa ndifumana imali e n g a n g e - R 9 ,50 n g e v e k i .
Ukuba ndiphangele yonke imihla
ndifumana imali engange R2 ngaphezulu, kodwa kunzima ukuba umntu
ayifumane xa ethe wafika ngomzuzu emva kwexesha, kuba nani niyazazi
iibhasi neetreyini iindlela ezihamba ngazo.
Ndivuka yonke imihla
phambi kwentsimbi yesithandathu, ndiqale emsebenzini phambi kwe—
ntsimbi ye-7.30 kusasa.
Ngezinye iimini siphuma ngo~9 ngokuhlwa size sifike emakhaya ngo-11
ebusuku, nakhona xa sithe sanethamsanqa lokufumana into ehambayo
ngethuba.
Izolo u-Irvin & Johnson ugxothe abasebenzi abathandathu abamhlophe
kuba bengakwazi ukuq.huba i-"donki"-ngokwaneleyo; ngoku banomhlophe
ovela e—Rawutini ekuthwa ngu-John, osisebenzisa n g o k w e n y a n i .
Izolo m k o s i yam ithe yahlawula i-R80
kanobomi.
Ndilusizi kakhulu yinkosi
Benisazi ukuba le ndoda yakhawulezisa
bakhawulezise iintlanzi baze bagxotha
ukuqesha um n t u ozakusibhexesha
y a m kuba yayisilungele gqitha.
amashishini ukwenzela ukuba
amantombazana a m a n i n z i .
Kufuneka sisebenzele imali enye kodwa sisebenza nzima ngokuphindwe
kathathu, sinikwa imigangatho ethile enzima, ze kuthi sakungaf i k e l e l i , sig^ottiwe.
Umqashi wethu uthe uzakuthabatha amantombazana angamakhulu amathathu
esithubeni samantombazana angamakhulu asithoba.
Nicinga ukuba
kulungile oku?
Asivunyelwa ukuba sihlale imizuzu emithatihu ukuba siye ngasese.
Kufuneka wazise u-kloke xa usiya ngasese ukuze ke ngoku ubenentloni
zokuya <iho.
Akukho mnt.ii unokuza kusinceda, azokubona imefco^ye^W^ kuba andinakuyeka apha kuba ndinabantvana.
Umqaafai ufcKr ^ h i ^ h i n i lenze
inzuzo eyi-R3,000,000, ncedani nize nigokuzibonela,'%g^cede sifumane ngakumbi.
Kunzima nokuba sifumatie
legfrt^anzi aze
athi amantombazana akuyiba, abanjwe.
Kulf.hovumqa&hi njS^) oronye uMnu. Van Wyk, ovayesinika intlanzi ngempela veki,Vs to^wa
.
ngoku. Kukho nje iiformani ezimbalwa ezisi^cothfcyo xa sfeft* 'ikeleli
ekubexeshweni.
~
^ „
Ndibhalele kwi-"Argus" kodwa khange ndibe nakunce<J^kala. “Tusenokwenzeka ukuba banomsebenzi omninzi.
Andinakho ukuni nika igama lam kuba ndingagxothwa, ncedani nize
nizokusinceda, singabasebenzi bebala.
Enkosi.
I
»
»
I
I
N g o k u k h u t a h w a yit
K H0 MI 5H I N I YEMIVUZO,
SRC, U n i v e r a i t y of
Cape Town, Rondebosch,
I
t
•
I
»
*
*
Issued byt
Wagea Commiasion,
SRC, U n iv er ai ty o€
C a p e Town, Rondeboach.
MgJter
ABASEBEMZI
MAY
1 9 7 1*
Saturday afternoons workers will be given more lessons about their
rights in Athlone.
They will be told about the importance of
organizing other workers and how to go about it.
These lessons will appear in the "Workers' A d v i s o r y
is connected w i t h the Advice Bureau.
Venue:
British Ex-Servicemen's Hall,
Klipfontein Road,
Athlone,
which
^
«
&
If
Time:
- -
,P/
I *
2.30 p.m. on Saturday, 4th May/.?
y
All workers will have t o come w i t h member s \ o f the copafluxtee.
% *
Athigfic
T o w n Hall
Lan*ra & Goguletu
Power
cif
Eoan
Group
Centre
j
uf-i
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• nwOi:
-a ~n
J«.U
--i ..it •
OUl.il;>;___ _ -.. -• #
T\
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i
I
Police j
ATHLONE
Shops
City
City
__
IF H E ? iLA LA R A S E BE N ZI
This is the 8th workers' newspaper to appear in Cape Town over the last
year.
But we are still not getting the reports in from the workers.
Make sure that your factory appoints one worker to keep "Abasebenzi" in
t ouch with what is happening.
Tell us about your grievances, your
victories, your attempts to organise, your bosses and your foremen.
The other problem is making sure all the workers in Cape Town get the
opportunity to read this newspaper.
the best way.
Handing it out in streets is not
The best way is for each factory to appoint one person or
two to distribute Abasebenzi for us.
us and give us your name and address.
If y o u want to do this, write to
When Abasebenzi is printed, we
will bring a package to you iwth lots o f copies o f the newspaper.
You
can hand it out to your fellow-workers before work or after work the next
day.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKERS' ORGANISATION
It is extremely important for workers to organise themselves to be a powerful
force that will fight any injustice that can affect t h e m as workers.
In
order to understand the importance of this organisation, workers should know
that work is what keeps up their livelywood, the bringing up of families,
education, eating, rent, furnishers, entertainment, health etc, so have to
raise money for all these things.
As all these things can be achieved after
many years' efforts, it is important that the only way by w h i c h they can be
achieved i.e. "work" should offer congenial working conditions i.e. happiness
in spirit, security etc.
In achieving all this, no workers have ever achieved
good working conditions by mere washing or selling one another to the bosses.
They have achieved sound and rewarding conditions b y standing together and
fighting together.
One could be keen to know what workers should be standing
together for, and what they should be fighting for.
In order to answer or
realize this, it is important for workers to understand that most employers
are together as a powerful force that is just aiming at expanding their busines
es and getting richer without taking the workers' needs into consideration.
Very few employers ever take the abovementioned requirements of the workers
into consideration, most are protecting their interests at the expense of the
workers.
This state of affairs results in ma k i n g "work" which is what a human
being was made for, "hell".
It is therefore of paramount importance that
organisations like the Western Province Advice Bureau, Trade Unions, Wages
Commission, should be there to help workers in their complaints and in getting
organised, negotiations, etc, as it is impossible for workers as individuals
to get anything right without victimisation.
To be relevant to the Western
Province workers' situation, there is the Western Province Workers' Advice
Bureau, an organisation aimed at helping workers w i t h their difficulties.
It has so far embarked upon organising the workers to form up Work Committees.
This attempt has been fruitful in m a n y factories.
We have the Steeldale workers that came to join the Adv i c e Bureau not knowing
a single right that covered them.
The Advice Bureau t r i e d to organise all
the workers at that big factory and formed up a Works Committee.
This was
quite a big task as most workers had never before directly negotiated with
employers.
But because the Advice Bureau assured t h e m of the protection that
the new Bantu Labour Relations Regulation Act offered them, the workers of
Steeldale formed a Works Committee.
Before their names had even been
registered in Pretoria the employers started giving workers about 2c an hour
increase.
After the registration of the committee, the workers had a meeting
with the management and started demanding their rights the Advice Bureau taught
them which were due to them.
This had incredible results.
Employers
admitted not knowing the regulations that covered their own workers and a lot
of wrongs were corrected, like w o r k intervals, sick pay, overtime pay.
This
encouraged the workers to a point the bosses could not stick and-they tried
to introduce a Liaison Committee.
The workers refused this because they knew
it was a means to divide them.
WRITTLN BY AN ORGANISER.
ADVICE BUREAU BLOCKED BY AUTHORITIES
The Western Province Workers Advice Bureau has been temporarily blocked
by the authorities.
The Bantu Administration Office has refused to
register their organiser, and one of the assistants was arrested and
intimidated.
So for some time, the office has been closed, and it is not expected that
the office will be opened for a few weeks.
The Advice Bureau has been
consulting lawyers, and unless their organiser is registered, there will
be a court case shortly against the authorities,,
Nevertheless, despite the fact that the organiser has been put out of
action and the office closed, a wonderful amount of organising has been
going on.
Workers have shown that they do not need to be told to
organise - they are forming workers' committees and organising their fellow
workers on their own.
It has been clear to many workers that the authorities do not want workers
to organise or to voice their grievances, and it is clear that they are
afraid of the workers' committees that are springing up in dozens of
factories, in Cape Town, in Natal and in Johannesburg.
This may sound strange since it was the authorities who allowed works
committees to be registered by their Act of Parliament last year!
It seems
that workers are given the right to organise on paper, but when they take
up this right, attempts are made to block them!
But workers in Cape Town
in over 30 factories have shown that they are not going to ask for permission
before they organise - they will protect their interests and their families
interests
in the way that the law encourages them.
So although the Advice Bureau will not be opened for a few weeks, workers
must not think that they have no work to do.
to do than ever.
In fact, they have more work
Workers must use their own resources, their own skills,
their own talents, to organise themselves and their f e l l o w - w o r k e r s .
Show
the authorities that you do not need full-time organisers to come and organise
you - organise yourselves!
WORKERS COMMITTEES'.
factories.
WORKERS'.
It is your job to help your fellow-workers in other
Bring t h e m the benefits that y o u have obtained for yourselves.
A giant movement is springing up all over the land.
Workers are
combining to protect their interests, and better their wages and working
conditions.
Join them - ORGANISE'.
WORKERS OF THE WORLD
STRIKE AND BOYCOTT BRINGS F I R M TO ITS KNEES
South Af r i c a is not the only country where workers are exploited.
Even
in America, where poor people are allowed to vote, and where black people
have all the rights of white people, and where there is very little ap a r t ­
heid, many workers are still exploited and p a i d starvation wages, and
treated like m a c h i n e s .
A striking example is the Farah company in TEXAS, which makes clothes,
It has about * 10,000 workers, mostly black.
The management has a health
clinic, sells low price lunches, transport workers to and from work, and
has a pension scheme.
This all sounds very fine, and the management
expected the workers to be content.
But the workers were allowed no trade unions, and were not allowed to
negotiate with the management.
In other words, the management refused
to have collective bargaining with the w o r k e r s .
The workers were very
unhappy by this - it meant that the managers could do what they wanted
with .the workers without consulting them.
(Does this sound like South
Africa?)
So the workers attempted to form a union.
workers were immediately sacked.
The leaders and many other
This started a massive strike, which
has been going on since 21st May, 1 9 7 2 ’
.
The action taken by the workers was organised b y the famous hero of the
American labour movement, Caesar Chavez.
He organised strikes, go-slows,
and a boycott of all the clothes made by Farah.
This boycott spread
from Texas to all parts of America, and even spread to the rest of the
world?
On Father's Day 1972, and international boycott of all Farah
goods was begun.
As a result of the concerted, unified worker action, the company lost
over R 6 , 000,000 in the rest of that year, 1972.
company is in 1973 dropped by R 2 , 000,000.
company was affected by the boycott.
The total profit of the
This shows how badly the
Millions of people all over the
world refused to buy any clothes w i t h the "FARAH" mark on them.
//
o• • • •
2
t.
Naturally the management was not ple a s e d w i t h the actions of the workers.
The Mayor of the town, all the businessmen and the policeforce sided with
Farah.
The police used such familiar tactics as intimidation, baton
charges, police dogs, informers, and tear gas to break up strikers'
meetings and picket-lines (picketers are strikers who try to stop the
company from using other workers to continue the w o r k of the factory).
Police intimidation was used to frighten the leaders and the workers in
their private l i v e s 0
But no matter what the police tried, they could not
alter the workers from their course of action because they were determined,
organised and unified.
Nothing can stop the workers' movement when it
is unified, and this is what the town and the company discovered when the
strike dragged on for two years and cost the businessmen so much money.
The town got a b a d name from tourists because of what was bi e n g done to
the workers.
Meanwhile, the workers were raising
money among themselves
and from other trade unions throughout the country to provide for their
wives and children while they were on strike.
All the workers fired during the strike were taken back by Farah,
The
management agreed to recognise and negotiate with the trade union of
Caesar Chavez (The Amalgamated Clothing Workers' Union).
Eventually, after 21 months on strike, the town mayor, the police and
Farah gave in.
It was a great victory for Amer i c a n workers.
Dear Sir,
For five years I have 136611 work i n g for Irvin and Johnson, but I only earn
R9,50 per week and if I come to work every day, I get another R 2 .
But
y o u never get it because if you are one minute late during the day they
take your bonus away.
You k n o w what, the bus and the train are alike.
I start every morn i n g before 6 a.m. to get to work before 7.30 a.m.
Some nights we leave the factory at 9 p.m. and I only get home at 11 p.m.
if I am lucky.
Yesterday Irvin and Johnson sacked 6 European supervisors because they
cannot drive the hotnots enouth.
Now they have got a man from Johannesburg
b y the name of John to make us work harder.
My boss said to me last
night that they can pay a man R 8 0 to come and chase the workers, but they
cannot pay us a cent per hour more.
he was very good to us.
I feel very sorry for h i m because
Do y o u know that this man speeded up all the
machines to cut double the same money, but we have to work three times
harder.
He gives us targets and if we cannot reach them, they fire us.
My boss told me that they are only going to use 300 girls to do the same
work at 900.
Die meide wat nie will werk moet voetsek.
Do you think
this is fair?
At work we have no place to sit and the y o u n g girls have no place to play.
You are only allowed 3 minutes to go to the lavatory.
you must clock a card.
Every time y o u go
Sometimes you feel shy to so many times to the
toilet, but you must.
Can someone not come to the factory and help us?
tions in w h i c h we must work.
Come and see the condi­
I cannot stop w o r k i n g because I cannot
afford to let my children suffer.
My boss said the other day that the firm made R 3 , 000,000 profit, maar
niks vir die hotnots nie.
Please come one day and see for yourself.
Come and help us get something more.
if I am telling lies.
I w o u l d like you to come and ask
Everyone will tell y o u stories.
get a piece of fish or anything here if we want some.
some and then they put t h e m in jail.
You k n o w we never
The girls steal
There was o n l y one boss that always
gave us a parcel once a week, Mr, V a n Wyk, but he works in the office
now.
There are only a few foremen left and if t h e y do not drive us hard
enough then John will also sack them.
it, because they also have families.
They are good bosses but they do
I have written to the Argus before,
ray complaints.
but they do not want to listen to
I think the firm gives t h e m too m u c h work.
I cannot give you my name because they will sack me.
yourself.
Thank you.
I know y o u people will help the Coloureds.
But please come
Reference
library
r
A B A S E B E N Z I
3
MAY
j2nd
/_v r>Isslie
WORKERS AT WAGE BOARD
On Friday morning 3rd May, the gove
to hear evidence relating to wages o f \ w o r k e r s F i s h Processing
Industry.
Many workers responded to’
’
pam^hfldts advertising the meeting,
30 workers in all.
They came from all mre-Tlhe Western Cape, from
Port Nolloth in the North, Lambert's Bay and Saldanha Bay in the South,
as well as Cape Town.
The parties who had submitted evidence on behalf of the workers were
called on to give their evidence first.
After that, the employers put
their case forward.
Only two workers spoke to the Wage Board. . This
was unfortunate but understandable since the Chairman of the Wage Board
was very strict in limiting the arguments very narrowly.
Many workers wanted to complain about their conditions as well as about
wages, but in all cases the Chairman refused to discuss this.
The two workers who spoke made a good impression.
The Chairman also
cut the meeting short because he had to catch an airplane.
Workers
did indicate that they would have spoken if they had been given the
chance.
It remains to be seen how much notice the Wage Board took of the
workers and their representatives.
All these people called for R35.00
per week as the basis for a living wage.
The employers offered less than half that per week.
They said they
could not afford to give more, but did not give any proof that this
was the case.
Within the next few months, the Minister of Labour will decide the new
minimrn wages.
Then workers will be able to see how loudly their
voice rings under the present unorganized conditions.
CORRECTION
In our September 1973 issue of Abasebenzi, an article entitled "Clements
Kadalie and the I.C.U." stated that Kadalie had made an application for
ICU membership fo the white Trade Union Council, SATUC, in 1928, and that
the membership of the ICU at the time was 500,000 members.
In the article
a comparison was drawn between SATUC and the present TUCSA.
This comparison
was made to indicate the similarity in function between the two bodies i.e. co-ordinating bodies of trade unions.
We wish to emphasise, however,
that the present TUCSA was not the body to which Kadalie made his application
for membership.
We also wish to correct a misinterpretation concerning
the membership.of the ICU at the time of Kadalie's application.
While
Kadalie claimed that the ICU had a membership of 500,000, this figure was
exaggerated and the true figure was more like 50,000.
Kadalie in fact
applied for membership of SATUC in 1928 on the basis of 100,000 members.
EDUCTION COURSES FOR WORKERS ELSEWHERE IN SOUTH AFRICA
Service Organisations at Bolton Hall, Durban
In Durban, administrative and educational services to the registered
and the African unions at Bolton Hall, the trade union centre,
are provided by the Wages Commission from the University of Natal,
the Institute for Industrial Education, Central Administration
Services, and the Urban Training Project.
The Wages Commission provides help with the registration of African
workers into one of the four unions or the Benefit Fund.
The four
unions are: i) the Furniture Workers Union
ii) the Textile workers union
iii) the Garment workers union
iv) the Metal and Allied Workers union
This is especially necessary on Saturday mornings when hundreds of workers
come into Bolton Hall to sign up or to pay subscriptions.
The Wages
Commission members also go out to factories, and help in solving complaints
brought to the Benefit Fund by the workers.
The Institute for Industrial Education (I.I.E.) provides a correspondence
course in trade unionism for all workers.
This year it has about 120
students.
The I.I.E. also organises seminars for its students where the
courses are discussed.
The courses are in Zulu and English at the moment,
but will be in more languages later.
Central Administration Services (C.A.S;) provides administrative
assistance, office accommodation, secretaries, and transport for the
unions and organisations belonging to it.
These groups are nearly all
in Bolton Hall but the same services are also provided to the African
Unions in Pietermaritzburg.
Urban Training Project, with its head office in Johannesburg, has an
educator in Durban based at Bolton Hall.
He also provides educational
courses for workers in unions, works committee members, and interested
workers.
The Urban Training Project work along closely with the I.I.E. and their
educational program.
More than 60,000 workers are represented by the unions and the Benefit
Fund in Bolton Hall, and the four organisations we have discussed briefly,
provide the educational and administrative services for them.
In addition,
the Black Sash run a pass advice office and the students of the Legal
Aid Clinic of the University of Natal intend opening an office in Bolton Hall.
HOMELAND LEADER ATTACKS PARALLEL UNIONS
At the same time, Mr. Barney Dladla of the Kwazulu Cabinet, has attacked
the idea of parallel unions.
He said that TUCSA (the Trade Union Council
of South Africa - which has only white and coloured unions) was trying
to control African unions by forming parallel unions.
By establishing
parallel unions, TUCSA hoped that the hand of white leadership would
rest heavily on these new unions.
He claimed that TUCSA had moved to isolate the new African unions in
Natal.
It had helped during the 1973 strikes, and it had not condemned
the government when four trade unionists were put under house arrest
in January 1974.
"The registered unions are turning their backs on the African workers".
It is these trade unions that were responsible for negotiating for
thousands of African workers and "in many cases I am sorry to say that they
agreed to the most shocking levels of wages for African labourers".
Mr. Dladla is well known in Natal among workers as a champion of their
cause, and has intervened to help striking workers on several occasions.
He has also addressed workers' meetings and encouraged the formation of
trade unions.
WORKERS' ADVISORY PROJECT
The Workers' Advisory Project was established by a group of people which
includes workers, students on the UCT Wages Commission, lecturers from the
University and others.
The aim of the project is to provide workers with
background information on the labour situation in Cape Town, to provide
education on the industrial legislation, and training in how to run works
committees or trade unions, how to handle complaints, how to negotiate
with management and so on.
The project consists of a lengthy "training manual" covering all these aspects
(in English and Xhosa), and weekly meetings on a Saturday afternoon where dis­
cussions on the se different subjects take place.
The first meeting was held on Saturday, 4th May.
Workers from 11 different
factories and firms attended the meeting, which covered a general introduction
to the course, and where workers gave their ideas of what should be dealt
with in the course.
The first sections of the manual were given to those who
attended.
Workers were very excited about the course and keen to learn about the
information they need in order to form a strong, united worker organisation.
They were particularly kken to learn about the negotiating procedures laid
down by law for determining their wages and working conditions and to be
trained in the techniques of negotiating with management at their factories.
These subjects will be covered soon in the course.
The workers also emphasised the need for more workers to join them and
combine to form a united, well-informed force through which the workers
could all strive together for better wages and working conditions.
They
emphasised the need for thorough education and training of workers if they
were to be successful in their efforts and called on other factory committees
to come to the Advice Project meetings, and on workers without committees to
come and hear how to set up these committees.
These meetings will also deal with any individual problems which workers
have - at the first meeting a number of specific problems about wages,
working hours etc. were raised and dealt with individually.
The meetings can become an important meeting place for workers, where
they can get together to hear about each others problems and victories,
share in the knowledge which is built up from these experiences, and
help to solve the problems of others.
It is hoped that the meetings will grow and that more and more workers
will join those who have started it off.
Workers from eleven factories
is a good start - but for success, the workers from each and every factory
must stand together and must have the background knowledge necessary to
run effective organisations which can represent them.
The meetings take place every Saturday afternoon, at 2.30 in the B.E.S.L.
Hall, Klipfontein Road, Athlone.
All workers are welcome - those that have
started the project need your support.
We hope to see you there this Saturday.
B e t w e e n t h e 6 t h a n d 2 0 t h O c t o b e r l a s t y e a r , f o u r l e a d e r s o f the
B r i t i s h T r a d e U n i o n C o u n c i l (t . U . C . ) v i s i x t e d S o u t h A f r i c a a s
g u e s t s of the T r a d e U n i o n C o u n c i l of S o u t h A f r i c a (TUCSA). The
p u r p o s e o f t h e v i s i t w a s to f i n d o u t a b o u t t h e l e v e l o f w o r k e r
o rg a n i s a t i o n in South Africa, e s p e c i a l l y as r e ga r d s B l a c k workers.
T h e y w a n t e d a l s o to f i n d o u t t h e d e g r e e to w h i c h w o r k e r s p a r t i c i p a t e
i n i n d u s t r i a l n e g o t i a t i o n , i.e. h o w e f f e c t i v e w a s t h e m a c h i n e r y
w h i c h the g o v e r n m e n t p r o v i d e d f o r n e g o t i a t i o n s .
D u r i n g t h e i r two w e e k s t a y the T U C d e l e g a t i o n sa w m a n y p e o p l e w h o
are in some w a y c o n n e c t e d w i t h l a b o u r in S.A., f r o m the P r i m e
M i n i s t e r (Mr. V o r s t e r ) a n d t h e M i n i s t e r o f L a b o u r (Mr. V i l j o e n )
to u n o r g a n i s e d B l a c k w o r k e r s .
Mr. V i l j o e n t o l d t h e d e l e g a t i o n
t h a t i m p r o v e d c o m m u n i c a t i o n c h a n n e l s h a d b e e n s e t u p i n t h e f o r m of
liaison committees and w o r k s committees, but that A f r i c a n s were not
yet "ready" for trade unions.
H e s a i d t h a t a c e r t a i n l e v e l of
education, training, and experience was n e c e s s a r y before successful
n e g o t i a t i o n s could be c arried out b y trade unions, i m p l y i n g that
A f r i c a n s l a c k e d this.
He, n e v e r t h e l e s s , a d m i t t e d that s ome W h ites,
especially Afrikaners, also
lacked these pre r e q u i s i t e s for trade
unionism.
However, he d o e s not l e g i s l a t e against, or p r e v e n t them
from joining or form i n g trade unions.
Mr. V o r s t e r w a s i n f o r m e d b y t h e d e l e g a t i o n t h a t s o m e B l a c k u n i o n s
had been operating very successfully.
When asked wh y these unions
w e r e n o t a l l o w e d to r e g i s t e r , h e r e p l i e d t h a t h e c o u l d n o t m a k e a n y
e x c e p t i o n s to t h e r u l e a n d t h a t t h e s e u n i o n s w e r e p o l i t i c a l in
nature.
Mr. V i l j o e n s t r e s s e d t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f e d u c a t i o n i n t r a d e u n i o n i s m ,
a n d p r o m i s e d t h a t c o m p u l s o r y e d u c a t i o n f o r a l l A f r i c a n s w o u l d come.
He did not say when.
T h e d e l e g a t e s m e t r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m t h e C e n t r a l A r i m i n i s t r a t i on
S e r v i c e s (C. A . S . ) the o f f s h o o t b o d y of the G a r m e n t w o r k e r s in
Durban.
The e d u c a t i o n w i n g of C.A.S. the I n s t i t u t e f o r I n d u s t r i a l
E d u c a t i o n (i.I.E.) also h e l d d i s c u s s i o n s w i t h the delegates.
N u m b e r s of the w e l f a r e w i n g of N . U . S . A . S . , w h o w o r k w i t h C.A.S.
and the I.I.E. m e t m e m b e r s of the d e l e g a t i o n in D u r b a n a n d Cape
Town.
O ther b o d i e s w h o met the d e l e g a t i o n w e r e the U r b a n
T r a i n i n g P r o j e c t , w h o o p e r a t e in Johannesburg and who held 2 training
seminars for workers in Cape Town last year, the South African Institute of
Race Relations South African Bureau of Racial Affairs (SABRA) and a number of
African Trade Unions.
Naturally enough, TUC met TUCSA and representatives
of other white trade unions.
The delegation felt that social and political factors were extremely important
in labour relations in S.A.
They were made to feel that Africans were aware of
and in fact, resented the discrimination practised against them.
They also
gained many impressions from their interviews with managers, who recognized
that Black workers were deprived of an effective voice in negotiations yet who
were quick to call in armed police when their workers showed their discontent.
The delegation recognized the impatience of may Black people who wished
to take part in full industrial negotiations, also that the African
labourer was a permanent and not temporary - as the Government likes to
think - worker in the towns.
The TUC leaders recognized that because in South Africa's expanding
economy, Black labour was becoming an increasingly greater force, the
need to organize Black labourers into effective bodies (which TUC believe
must be trade unions and NOT works committees or liaison committees)
is an urgent necessity.
They believe that only by standing together
united in thought and action could workers anywhere in the world, overcome
the forces that exploit them.
They saw no difference in South Africa.
They therefore promised to carry out the following to assist black workers
i)
ii)
iii)
discourage the emigration of white workers to S.A. who always
take the jobs that local Blacks should be filling
to set up a presence in South Africa to assist Black workers
organise trade unions
to raise R175 000 for the organization and education of Black
workers, from trade unions all over the world, not only in Britain.
These premises were made several months ago, yet nothing has arisen from
them so far.
It is obvious that only by standing together with all other
workers can workers goals be achieved.
It is no good relying entirely
on other people who have their own problems, e.g. TUC because they are too
far away, and also have their own worker problems; the Government and employers
whose interests are directly opposite to those of Black workers; and White
trade unions, many of whom see Black unions as a threat to their power and
position.
These people can never share South African workers problems and
their promises must be seen in this light.
No one except the worker will
solve his problems.
The problems of a single worker are always shared by
other workers, and therefore it is important, as TUC agreed, that workers
organize themselves into trade unions.
But it is only the workers who
can organize themselves properly.
It is only the workers who, having
organized themselves can put an end to exploitation.
In this, black
South African workers have the blessing of TUC, and trade unionists over
the whole world.
KS/jl
21.6.74
Steeldale Works Committee,
Granville Avenue,
EPPING.
The Steeldale Works Committee was started on the 19th June, 197 1*.
There are over U00 workers in our firm.
Mr. Lampbrecht appointed men who were to represent us on the Steeldale
Works Committee.
He told our employer to take notice of our complaints
and requests and that should he fail to do so we should let him know.
So far the Committee has succeeded in some of its attempts, e.g. its
fight for better wages and working conditions, sacking of employers
without valid reasons, sick leave without pay etc.
things very successfully with our employers.
We discussed these
Therefore the committee
is a liaison between employers and employees.
We received a paper called Abasebenzi issued by the Wages Commission,
which gave us more information about works committees and how the Advice
Bureau can help us.
The Advice Project gives us lessons every Saturday
afternoons.
The establishment of our works committee has been a great help to us
employees and through it our employers have tried their best to satisfy
our needs.
We thank you for the good you have done for us.
Thank you.
E.V. SIZANI
Ibasebetsi
DITABA TSA
koranta eabasebetsi
February 1975
no.6
DITERAEKE
Mehleng ena Basebetsi base ba etsa
di-"Strike" kgafetsa hohle naheng
hena.
Plabaka a "strike" e a be
ele ho batla nyollelo ya meputso
kapa tumello ya ho iketsa ngatananngue.
Ha basebetsi ba batla nyollelo ya
meputso, ba etsa kopo ya meputso e
batluang ke bona, ka tshepo ya hore
baokamedi ba tla sekela tsebe kopong eo.
Ho hang ha ba ke ba fuue
hanyenyane.
Kgueding ya phato kuana Thekong(Dur
ban.) basebetsi ba 400 ba "Uire In­
dustries, Steel Products & E n g i n e e ­
ring ba ile ba terika.
Ba ne ba
batla nyollelo ya 7c ka hora, empa
ba ile ba fuua feela nyollelo ya 5c
Nqengue ha ba-teraiki ba batla ny o ­
llelo ha ba e fuue, hona hoo, ba
juetsua hore ha ba sa kgutlela mosebetsi kapele, ba tla tejelua.
Hona kgueding ya Phato, faboriking
ya Turnuright basebetsi ba 400 ba
ile ba teraeka.
Ba ne ba batla
nyollelo ya R3 ho ya ho R5 ka beke
Baokamedi ba ile ba re basebetsi ba
robile s e t l a m o ( c o n t r a c t ) sa bona
mme ba tla tejelua ha ba sa kgatlele mosebetsing.
Baokamedi ba ile
bare ba tla lekola taba ya meputso
mme hona ho tla nka nako hobane ele
company entjha.
Ka ho tshosa ba­
sebetsi le ho etsa ditshepiso tsa
bokamoso, baokamedi ba ile ba kgona
ho bokella matla kofela ho bona,
feela d i h l o k o ( n e e d s ) tsa basebetsi
ha di a ka tsa ananelua.
Ka nako enngue basebetsi ba teraeka haeba ba ne ba tshepisitsue nyo
llelo yaba ha ba e fuue.
Sena ke
se ileng sa etsahala Baraguanath
Hospital maqalong a kguedi ena.
Barumuua, Bahluekisi, di-Porter le
babang ba ile ba teraeka hobane ba
ne ba tshuanetse ho nyollelua m e ­
putso kgueding ya Phupu, feela boemo ba ditaba bo ne bo ntse bo tshuana le pele.
Basebetsi bana ba
500 ho isa ho 600 ba ile ba tshuarua ka le hlahlamang mme ba ile ba
kgalemelua ke ba sepolesa sa John
Uoster Square hore habasa kgutlele
mosebetsing ba tla qosua kabaka la
ho teraeka kantle ho molao.
Hona
ke bopaki ba hore baokamedi ba na
le hona ho thibela "strike" ka ho
bitsa mapolesa.
Ntho e tshuanang le ena e ile
ya etsahala lekgotleng la motse
la Randburg ka la 2 Pudunguane.
Bateraiki ba ne ba ilela diphoso tse fumanehang mekotlaneng
ya bona ya meputso.
Ba ile ba
juetsua hore ba ilo hlaha kgotla ka qoso ya ho hana ho etsa
mesebetsi e ba tlamang.
Ka
le hlahlamang kgotla, base be­
tsi ba bang_ba ile ba lokollua ka tumelo ya mo lato ha
ba 70 ba ile ba qosua ka ho
roba setlamo sa bona ka tlasa
molao ua "Riotiuos Assembly
Act" ba ile ba lefisua R20
kapa matsatsi a 20 tjhankaneng.
3uale re a bona hore ha base­
betsi ba batla nyallelo ya m e ­
putso kapa ba etsa kopo ele
kapa ele mabapi le meputso, ba ­
okamedi ba ba thetsa ha bonolo
hore ba mohele nyollelo e nyenyane kapa ba se keba fuua n y o­
llelo ho hang.
Hona ke hobane
baokamedi ba ba tshepisa ho ba
tebela kapa ho ba bitsetsa m a ­
polesa.
Haeba basebetsi ba
tshuanela ho atleha ditletlebeng tsa bona, ba tshuanela ho
sebetsa mmoho ka kopano e tiileng ya basebetsi e matla jualeka baokamedi le ditshoso tsa
bona.
Diteraeke tse ding tse ding tse
tluaelehileng ke tsa ha b a s e b e ­
tsi ba batla dikopo tse itseng
mabapi le basebetsi ba bang.
Basebetsi ha ba teraeke feela
ho lokisa ditaba tsa bona, ba
luanela ho lokisetsa basebetsi
babang.
Hona ho ile ha etsahala fa bo ­
riking ya Galase lya Pilkington
Springs.
Basebetsi ba 300 ba
teraeka hobane emong ua base be­
tsi a ne a tejetsue.
Ba ile
ba yo dula hae matsatsi a mabedi.
Kamora strike baokamedi
ba tebela basebetsi ba bang ba
8, ba lekgotla (committee) la
basebetsi.
Juale banna bana
ba 8 ba nka dikgato tsa molao
ka bokamedi bakeng la ho ba
tebela.
Baokamedi ba akgelua
ho isa ho dilemo tse pedi tj ha­
nkaneng ha ba tebetsi ba-lekgotla la basebetsi mosebetsing
ua bona. Di ya leqepheng 2
Collection Number: AD1715
SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF RACE RELATIONS (SAIRR), 1892-1974
PUBLISHER:
Collection Funder:- Atlantic Philanthropies Foundation
Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive
Location:- Johannesburg
©2013
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