Remarks by Owen Bieber, President, International Union, UAW, to the 3rd National Congress, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa. Bieber says it's a great honor for me to be here tonight and to have the opportunity to speak at this important Congress; on behalf of all of the international guests who are here, I want to thank NUMSA for inviting us to observe your discussions over the next few days; the foreign trade unionists here tonight--many of whom have travelled thousands of miles to be with you--feel a great sense of solidarity with your union; we know how hard you have struggled to build a strong and militant union, despite the oppression of the apartheid system. Bieber says...
Remarks by Owen Bieber, President, International Union, UAW, to the 3rd National Congress, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa. Bieber says it's a great honor for me to be here tonight and to have the opportunity to speak at this important Congress; on behalf of all of the international guests who are here, I want to thank NUMSA for inviting us to observe your discussions over the next few days; the foreign trade unionists here tonight--many of whom have travelled thousands of miles to be with you--feel a great sense of solidarity with your union; we know how hard you have struggled to build a strong and militant union, despite the oppression of the apartheid system. Bieber says there can be no justice in a system that denies the majority of its citizens the right to vote because they are black; there can be no justice in a system that allows thousands of innocent people to be slaughtered by vigilantes and warlords; there can be no justice in a system that spends one hundred rand on the education of a white child for every ten rand spent on a black child; there can be no justice in a system that lets corporations pay its white workers five times what its black workers earn; and there can be no justice in a system that throws a trade unionist like Moses Mayekiso in jail for two years and tries him for treason because he fought to improve the conditions in his township. Bieber says I'm proud to say that my union, the UAW, worked very hard in support of your own efforts to win freedom for your General Secretary and the other four people tried along with him; the UAW waged a campaign of international solidarity, as did other unions around the world, because we saw the arrest and trial of Brother Mayekiso as a direct attack on the black trade union movement in South Africa. Bieber says I find it curious that this same government, which is so intent on locking up union leaders, can't seem to bring to trial and convict the vigilantes and warlords who've killed 2,000 men, women and children in the townships in the last year; when will the authorities arrest and try the Inkatha warriors who killed 23 NUMSA members in Sebokeng last September 4? Bieber says when will they arrest and try those who shot and killed shop steward Clement Nene two years ago during the strike at Everite in Durban? Bieber says when will they arrest and try those who shot NUMSA leader Jeffrey Vilane in Natal last year? Bieber says more and more evidence has become public that raises questions about a government role in the attacks on workers, ANC members and supporters of the democratic movement. Bieber says but all the rhetoric about political change has a hollow ring to those in the international community as long as his government allows the violence against those supporting democracy; I'm told your discussions tomorrow will focus on destroying apartheid and replacing it with democratic structures. Bieber says I have great sympathy for what you are going through; in my own union, we've been battered by more than 10 years of Ronald Reagan and George Bush with their economic policies that benefit the rich at the expense of the workers. Bieber discusses the UAW (United Auto Workers), detained, the State of Emergency, John Vorster Square, the Minister of Justice in Cape Town, NUMSA (National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa), Jay Naidoo, COSATU (Congress of South African Trade Unions), the trade union movement, kidnapping, assault, the De Klerk government, F.W. de Klerk, security and police forces engaged in death squad activity, the ANC (African National Congress), Brother Mandela (Nelson Mandela), and a Ford plant.
