Lessons from SATAWU strike

Sunday 14 May 2006

WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY CAN DRAW A LESSON FROM SATAWU

The premature compromise agreement of about 8% by the fly-by-nite unions in the security industry is a faux pas and plain treachery. The demand by SATAWU demand is humanly justified. It seeks to define better life and a restoration of human dignity.

The heroic strike of SATAWU though tedious and sprinkled with maiming and slaying of traitors, is a sheer response to the continuationof abuse of the workers by employers. The 8% faction maintains that they are in majority and that their endorsement and SATAWU demand is the same. They acknowledge the mathematical difference between 8 and 11, but they do not see any “difference” between the two demands. However we know that these spaza-shop unions misrepresent their members who are joining SATAWU in hordes since the beginning of the strike. Their resons for massaging and embracing the employers’ offer of a miniscule increase is hogwash and must be rejected.

Today the strike is still on. The security workers have not been to work for more than a month now. They have have lost on wages and salaries. But the main loser is the employer, he has lost millions and millions. These losses represent the important roles that these hardworkers are playing in the millions that the fat cats get every day. To the workers themselves this strike demonstrates the power that they wield.

We, communities draw an important lesson from this strike: in the market sociey rights are written and shelved. Capitalists brag of giving the hoi polloi the rights, the courts, the police. However, these institutions can only be accessed by the moneyed. If you don’t have money you will not afford the lawyer that challenges police blunders, your case cannot be televised, youll be evicted from your house illigally, your electricity will be cut and you’ll be required to buy water to drink and cook. These are the conditions with which security people live under.

Kathorus Concerned Residetns(KCR) draws a valuable inspiration from SATAWU.

Long Live SATAWU, Forward with living wage.

Joseph Masetle Kathorus Concerned Residents