Educating and training shopstewards
Response to Nelson Mbane, Numsa Bulletin No 4, September 2001, Page 7
According to my observation most shop stewards are selecting the workshops and the meetings where they must get information and training. They prioritise Regional or National workshops which is wrong. They forget that before you are able to develop further you must know and understand your company’s policy and union constitution at local level.
Shop stewards do not consider or attend Local workshops. If shop stewards attend regional workshops, they will arrive late and leave early, missing some important sessions.
If some shop stewards lose commitment and concentration even in the easiest battle of life they will become their own victims and easily embarrassed. Besides one has two ears, two eyes and only one mouth. We have to observe and listen much more than speak.
Other shopstewards attend the same meeting or training repeatedly but are not interested in learning. They are like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away, then immediately forgets what he looks like. This problem makes it difficult for these shop stewards to represent workers.
Magareth Nomvula Motswene Secunda Local Organiser
Dear Comrades
I am writing this letter with great concern that there shall be action towards people’s change. For us to build a strong SACP and Numsa, the union has to play a dominant role in job creation as the aim and purpose of Numsa is to achieve socialism.
Comrades, we cannot achieve socialism whereas our members join the ranks of unemployed. It’s the duty of Numsa to focus on the issue of unemployment. Remember, our aim and belief is to build a strong working class so that we may achieve socialism. We must try to open companies and factories.
To achieve this, the union must be closer to the people such as the churches, youth, NGOs, societies and other organisations. This is the only way to make Numsa a union of true socialists. It is the only way to make sure that more than 50% of the members of the union are also members of the SACP. Let the union implement the policies of socialism now as the pamphlets states that: Build a strong SACP and Numsa now! We need regular workshops and political debates.
Also important is that there shouldn’t be friendship amongst organisers and employers – that destroys the union. By avoiding that, there shall be socialism in the near future. South Africa can be a country of true socialists. Plug pamphlets on street corners and distribute to individuals with a short message – workers unite! churches unite! youth unite! non-workers unite! elders unite!
Alerting people can create a good impression. Oh,….dear comrades….the mass is ready for socialism, it’s only leaders that are there…. Please take my point of view into consideration and give me strength and hope so that I can be a strong communist.
Your communist L.T. Nzimande from Langaville
Source
Numsa News