African Activist Archive

The mailing says COSTAU has urgently requested messages of support from its international allies to denounce actions recently taken by the South African government and employers. The mailing says the government has threatened to disrupt a meeting of 72 opposition organizations which is to be held on September 24 and 25 in Cape Town; called by COSATU following the banning of 17 leading opposition groups in February, the conference seeks to "forge a common stand against repression." The mailing says COSATU reports that "the State has already warned that it is closely watching developments and will certainly take action if banned organizations are involved." The mailing says already the South African police have raided several COSATU offices and temporarily detained union leaders in the Eastern Cape; mass detentions of conference participants are feared. The mailing says on August 12th, the government signed the union-bashing Labor Relations Amendments Act into law despite ongoing protest strikes by workers and negotiations between the major labor federations, COSATU and NACTU, and the employers organization, the South African Consultative Committee on Labor Affairs (SACCOLA); eliminating most legal protections workers have won over the last ten years, the law undermines the right to strike, solidifies the position of racially-segregated and "sweetheart" unions, and allows employers to sue unions for damages to cover lost production. The mailing says SACCOLA was pushed to negotiate with COSATU and NACTU following a massive, three-day general strike in early June; negotiations proceeded in secret throughout the summer; on August 11th, the three parties produced a joint statement in which SACCOLA agreed to recommend that member companies ref rain from using the six most damaging provisions in the law; one day later, however, the government destroyed this opening by signing the legislation into law. The mailing says SACCOLA immediately began retreating from the joint statement and, on August 31, told COSATU "these clauses are needed to protect employers interests." The mailing says the federation's attempt to obtain agreements from individual employers that they not use the new law has also been rejected. The mailing says COSATU calls on U.S. unions and anti-apartheid organizations: send messages of support for the SEPT. 24 anti-apartheid conference to COSATU; condemn SACCOLA's decision to opt for apartheid legislation rather than negotiations with the representative trade unions; 3. condemn the new labor relations law and the government's attacks on the independent trade unions. The mailing says for more information call NYLCAA coordinators Kate Pfordresher or Vicki Williams. The mailing discusses COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions) and NACTU (National Council of Trade Unions).

African Activist Archive

RENEWED ATTACKS ON DEMOCRATIC TRADE UNIONS

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