Numsa committed to dealing with 'Marikana's'
BY Jenny Grice

No trade union should believe that it is immune from a 'Marikana' in one of its organised workplaces.

That was the message of Numsa’s August central committee, which came up with an eight-point plan to prevent this happening:

• Don’t lose contact with members.

• Be careful about favouring one section of the membership over another.

• Put members first and grow the organisation.

• All office-bearers, shopstewards and officials must get out of their comfort zones.

• In small establishments, Numsa members must feel that Numsa is their shield and spear.

• Go back to the shopfloor and take up the bread and butter issues that affect workers.

• Prepare for an assault on trade unions by the bosses and the state in order to reduce union power.

• Our unity is more important than ever. We must be diverse and united to grow. If we are intolerant and divided we will shrink.
But Numsa is also tightening up the organisation in other problematic areas (see box on the right).

“This is in line with developments that the organisation noted from 2010,” says the head of organising campaigns and collective bargaining (OCCB), Alex Mashilo.

“A strategy was developed, discussed and finally adopted by Numsa’s 9th National Congress in June 2012.”

If you are not satisfied with how Numsa has dealt with your problem, fax a letter of complaint to 011-689 1701 or send an e-mail to Leticha James, OCCB national administrator – letichaj@numsa.org.za