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NUM PRESENTATION, PARLIAMENT- 20 FEBRUARY 2013

NUM PRESENTATION, PARLIAMENT- 20 FEBRUARY 2013. LESSONS FROM THE RECENT MINING unrests, focus on platinum belt. Ralph Miliband’s assertion.

uriah-jimenez
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NUM PRESENTATION, PARLIAMENT- 20 FEBRUARY 2013

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  1. NUM PRESENTATION, PARLIAMENT- 20 FEBRUARY 2013 LESSONS FROM THE RECENT MINING unrests, focus on platinum belt

  2. Ralph Miliband’s assertion • When dealing with the question of “Marxism and Politics”, the question being asked is “What kind of class conflict”, “For the antagonism between classes does assume many different forms of expression, many different levels of intensity and scope. It often is strictly localized and focused on immediate, specific and “economic” demands, forms part of the “normal” pattern of relations between employer and wage earners- with strike action as familiar part of that pattern. Or it may be fought at the “cultural” level, and indeed is permanent struggle for communication of alternative and contradictory ideas, values and perspective. Or it may be fought at “political” level, and bring into question existing political arrangements, large or small. And it may assume peaceful or violent forms, and move from one form or to another”.

  3. THE DEMANDS AND POLITICAL UNDERTONES THE DEMAND FOR HIGHER SALARIES IS JUSTIFIED BUT THE METHOD AND APPROACH REMAINS THE PROBLEM • 1. Workers demand, higher salary adjustment- • Ranging from R12 500- R18 500 • Outside the bargaining process • Concurrent with resumption of unprotected strikes • Some led by mostly by workers committees, and very few depending region or branch • 2. Imposed demand on workers to: • Reject any representatives by NUM • Resign from NUM en masse • Join a competing Union, not affiliated to COSATU • 3. Imposed political home • In the process, striking workers are told or mobilized to reject the ANC • Alternative political formations are formed and some which already exists are recognized

  4. Minimum Wages in Other Sectors

  5. Minimum Wage set by Sectoral Determinations

  6. Minimum Wages in Other Sectors • Steel and Engineering • Minimum Wage: R4534.40 pm • Motor Industry • Minimum Wage: R3 088.80 pm • Road Freight • Minimum Wage: R3 496.82 pm • Civil Engineering • Minimum Wage: R3994.43 pm • Chemicals • Minimum Wage: FMCG = R4 298.60 pm • Industrial = R4 644 pm • Pharmaceutical = R5 834 pm

  7. Minimum Salaries set by Sectoral Determination • Farm Workers • Minimum Wage R1503.90 pm • Hospitality • Minimum Wage R2240.60 pm • Taxi Sector • Minimum Wage R2449.90 pm • Wholesale and Retail • Minimum Wage R2288.87 pm (General Assistant) • R2918.93 pm (Cashier) • R2741.49 (Shop Assistant) • Local Government R4902 pm • Mining-Average Min R6 000 pm

  8. METHODS USED AND CONSEQUENCES Methodology consequences High levels of job losses Unnecessary and un-forgetful loss of life Image of the industry vs. investment opportunities Loss of membership (NUM) Image of the Union (NUM) Question on the role of state apparatus and role of mining companies • High level of intimidation • Violence • Anarchy • Demagogy • Brutal Killings • Primitive mentality • Unprotected strikes • Mining recruitment strategy vs. Tribal or Ethnic chauvinists

  9. POSSIBILITY OF SOURCING ANTROPOLOGICAL SCIENCE’S CRITICAL INORDER TO FIGHT THIS PRIMITIVE MENTATLITY • Muti made miners aggressive- miner, 2012/08/21, 09h24-24 am • Johannesburg - Protesting Lonmin mine workers in Marikana, Rustenburg, grew so aggressive after they took muti from a renowned traditional healer that they believed the muti had made them invincible, it was reported on Tuesday.“After they got the muti people were so aggressive. They just wanted to fight. They felt so invincible,” Lonmin miner BulelaniMalawana told the Daily Dispatch.“I was offered it for R1 000. I turned it down as I didn’t believe in it,” he said.Two miners who survived the shooting last week Thursday, said they were made to believe that if they used muti by a traditional healer known as Nzabe in the Eastern Cape, bullets fired by police would not harm them.alawanasaid he refused to take the muti as he did not believe in it.Another mineworker said their leaders had approached them on Thursday and warned them to leave or they would be killed.NothiZimanga said miners drank brown muti to strengthen them ahead of their confrontation with police. “They were cut several times on their upper body and a black substance was smeared on the wounds.“ He said they were told that when they confronted the police they should not look back and should instead just charge forward.They were told if they looked back, the muti would not work.The confrontation left 34 miners dead and 78 injured. Another 260 were arrested.The nyanga who reportedly dispensed the muti was popular in Mbizane in the Eastern Cape.

  10. WHAT IS AT STAKE • FREED OM OF ASSOCIATION AS GUARANTEED BY THE SA CONSTITUTION • RIGHT TO JOIN A UNION OF CHOICE AS OUTLINED BY THE LRA • RESIGNATION NOTICE WHEN RESIGNING FROM A PREVIOUS UNION • Three months in Public Sector • One month in Private Sector • VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHT • Brutality on murders/ killings • Women as workers and women as members of society • Impact on the right to life • SUSPENSION OF COMPANY POLICIES • Impact to management • Impact to workers • Impact to Union’s operating in accordance with legislation and peaceful manner • LAW AND ORDER

  11. CORRECT MOTION NEVER IMPLEMENTED, 24 AUGUST 2006, MOTION IN PARLIAMENT

  12. RECOMMENDATIONS BY NUM • PARLIAMENT AND DMR FACILITATE MINING INDABA • Primarily focus on implementation of the 24 August 2006 Parliamentary motion, clause a and b on resolved • that the living and working conditions of mineworkers be investigated further and be improved, • to support the initiative by the National Union of Mineworkers to build a workers Museum, and • Deliberations and action plans based on the “Housing and Accommodation” of mineworkers. • Mining charter compliance • Development , signing and adherence to a “Mining Peace Accord” • Parliament, DMR ,DOL call on the President to officially mandate, on the need of the Peace Accord • With participation of all Unions and employer organization's • Platform to publicly denounce violence, anarchy, intimidation and killings as form of organizing/ union recruitment/collective bargaining.

  13. RECOMMENDATIONS BY NUM, continues • COMMISSION AN INVESTIGATION ON THE ROLE OF IMPALA, THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE MARIKANA COMMISSION • REQUEST LEGAL OPINION, ACT IF THERE’S POSITIVE RESULTS: • BREACH OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL STIPULATION ON FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION, SA CONSTITUTION • RIGHT TO JOIN A UNION OF CHOICE, LABOUR RELATIONS ACT • HUMAN RIGHTS • Right to life • Right to dignity • Abuse of women • Killing and bodily mutilation • 4. ANY POSSIBLE COERSION ON RESIGNATION FROM ONE UNION AND JOINING ANOTHER UNION (special focus to Impala) • COMMISSION AN INVESTIGATION AND REVIEW OF THE CURRENT PATERSON GRADING OR CURRENT GRADING USED IN THE MINING INDUSTRY • REMUNERATION AND GRADING BASED ON DANGERS, RISKS AND EFFORTS INVOLVED WITH THE JOB CATEGORY

  14. IMPLEMENTATION AND ADHERENCE TO THE PTT AND MIGDETT INTERVENTION IN THE SECTOR • Short- term • Enforcement ant adherence to legal prescripts • Investigation of cost saving mechanisms • Investigate measures to enhance productivity • Explore other applications and demand drivers for platinum • Acceleration of beneficiation • Other interventions, including section 47 of the MPRDA • Medium to Long Term • Investigate strategies for sustainable growth in the PGM industry • Long term creation and retention of jobs • Investigate increase in demand of PGM’s • Increasing the level of investment in new mines

  15. CONCLUSION • Comrade Charles Nqakula said about demagogy; "Demagogy is an attempt to stir up popular emotions in order to secure a bigger slice of the action for an elite." He went on to say, "Let me be perfectly clear, to voice the concerns of the poorest of the poor is not demagogy. To help marginalized communities organize themselves for transformation is not demagogy. To speak the truth, however awkward or unwelcome, is not demagogy. Demagogy is to lie to the people about what is possible and what is not. Demagogy is to foster dependency through patronage. Demagogy refuses collective responsibility and collective discipline. Sometimes demagogy masquerades as left militancy, but it is always, through and through, reactionary."

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