CALL FOR WORKERS UNITY IN THE MOTOR SECTOR!

[11.07.2001]

 

Workers International Vanguard League condemns the intransigent approach of the motor sector bosses in the current wage negotiations. They are exploiting the divisions at the VWSA plant and the fact that the mass dismissal of the 1386 workers in February last year was now upheld by the Labour Appeal Court. Now that the VWSA bosses have closed their Audi line and by now have dismissed virtually all the replacement labour, the Numsa leaders and the so-called patriots, in the unions, the government and the universities remain quiet. It is abundantly clear that the mass dismissal of last year was nothing else but a mass retrenchment exercise, at the same time escaping paying packages and getting rid of workers who were fighting globalisation at the shopfloor. The fight against unemployment, for the state and the Cosatu and Numsa leaders, is timidly submissive to the whims of big capital.

 

In part, the miserable track record of the Numsa leaders have given the bosses the high ground to roll back workers' rights. The LAC-VWSA ruling was clear that the deciding factor was that the Numsa leadership agreed with the VWSA bosses that the workers could be dismissed. A mandate of any form is regarded by the LAC triumvirate as completely irrelevant! The lesson from this that any form of partnership with the bosses is a policy of disaster. The capitalists are loyal only to their profit levels. Give them a finger and they will take your arm, if not the entire body! The compromise policy of the Numsa leaders has clouded the class war and reduced unionism into the policy of the begging bowl. The long history of 2 or 3 year agreements set the basis for the bosses' current intransigence. The Numsa leaders have consistently ignored any form of struggle for the reinstatement of the dismissed workers. Instead of fighting the issue, they link assistance to rejoining of Numsa.

 

At the same time, the deafening silence by the OCGAWU leaders on the no-strike agreement at Spinning MIlls, speaks volumes. These misleaders are chasing subs and the principle of workers' unity has been thrown out the front door. The policy of depending on the pro-capitalist courts at the exclusion of working class unity in action, has been disastrous. Both OCGAWU and Numsa leaders cannot be depended upon to defend working class interests!

 

We call on all workers in the motor sector, irrespective of being OCGAWU, NUMSA or SAWU, to unite in action against the attacks by the bosses. If the Numsa members decide on a strike, then all OCGAWU and SAWU members should come out as well. The leadership of the strike should be taken out of the hands of the leadership and put in the hands of a broad inter-union strike committee!

FORWARD TO AN INDEFINITE STRIKE UNTIL ALL WORKERS' DEMANDS ARE MET!
FORWARD TO A 1 YEAR AGREEMENT!
FORWARD TO A LIVING WAGE!
FORWARD TO THE REINSTATEMENT OF ALL VWSA DISMISSED WORKERS!

issued by Workers International Vanguard League, 1st Floor Community House, 41 Salt Rivr rd, Salt River, 7925  ph/fax 021 4476777 email: wivl@sn.apc.org