Getting gender-ready

From August 27-29 August, four women per Numsa region will meet in Johannesburg to prepare a women’s position for the National Congress in September.

They will be joined by representatives from the alliance, some ex-Numsa women comrades now in government and from two Cosatu affiliates that are strong on gender – Nehawu and Sactwu.

KwaZulu Natal also held a gender school on August 20 to 21 to prepare its delegation for congress.

Find out what happened from your region.

HIV/Aids counselling

Workshops to train comrades in HIV/Aids counselling will continue after the September congress. Those regions where the course has not yet taken place are Western Cape, Ekurhuleni, Northern Transvaal and Mpumalanga.

Canadian health and safety officers visit Numsa

Two officials from the Canadian Autoworkers Union’ (CAW) health and safety department, Dan Boone and Viney Sharma, recently visited South Africa.

They visited some companies which Numsa regards as some of the most dangerous in the country – Scaw Metals, Dunlop SA, Highveld Steel and GMT.

“Out of that visit we have identified some hazards and are working on a programme of action for those companies,” says Numsa’s health and safety co-ordinator, Selinah Tyikwe.

“We were shocked by the factory visits but nothing could have prepared us for the terrible air that workers have to breathe in back home in their townships,” said Boone. Coming in mid-winter, the smoke generated by coal stoves and braziers was at its peak.

Their visit is the beginning of a long term health and safety programme in Numsa that Caw will support both financially and with advice.

New labour radio slots:

Lotus FM Labour show every Tuesday from 16h45. Tune in nationally on 97.8FM.