The National Office Bearers (NOBs) of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) send their unflinching and worker-to-worker solidarity with the striking General Motors (GM) workers in Thailand under the leadership of our internationalist trade union ally and class orientated Workers Union of GM.
Around 2,000 assembly-line workers at the General Motors (GM) Pluakdaeng factory in the coastal city of Rayong, in the Gulf of Thailand, have been on strike since February 8, 2013, after GM’s oligarchy added a Saturday shift without paying overtime.
We strongly believe that the struggle of these 2,000 workers is a just struggle and should be supported by all militant and fighting fraternal trade unions across the world. This is a clear indication that the capitalist bosses are prepared to increase production volumes, whilst at the same time not prepared share the surplus (profits) with the exploited and starving workers.
We salute the commitment and bravery of these workers for sustaining a strike action for this long. This is an inspiration to the organized workers of South Africa and the world, that for workers to achieve fundamental monetary gains in their interests and families, they should remain united like a solid rock and fight the exploitation strategies applied by the greedy capitalist bosses.
As Numsa, in solidarity with our fellow workers and class brothers, we call on the GM South Africa to exert pressure to GM bosses in Thailand to concede to the demands of workers. The failure by GM SA to heed our call we will mobilize all GM workers in its plants here at home and abroad to embark on a solidarity action with GM Thailand workers.
Furthermore, we call for the immediate re-instatement of all the dismissed GM workers in Brazil.
Our solidarity action will be guided by our deep feelings of love for workers and bonds of solidarity informed by trade union slogan “an injury to one, is an injury to all”.
Contact:
Castro Ngobese
National Spokesperson
Mobile: +2781 011 1137
Tel (dir): +2711 689 1702
Twitter: @castrongobese