The South African Trade and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) will investigate the leaking of a memo on its R3-million debt, believing this is linked to its forthcoming elections, Satawu said on Wednesday.
”We have no doubt that this memo was leaked deliberately,” a statement from the union read.
”It was never intended for media or even public consumption. We suspect that the person or persons that leaked it did so for mischievous reasons linked to the coming elections at the union’s national congress next month.
”In trying to portray the current leadership as financially incompetent, however, the people who leaked this memo regrettably undermined the excellent work and integrity of the organisation. We will investigate this fully and find out who these faceless people are.”
Earlier, the union confirmed a Talk Radio 702 report that it owed R3-million, but said this was due to its usual activities and not because of the recent three-month strike by its members in the security industry.
Spokesperson Ronnie Mamba said the union suspected the leaked memo was one dated June 20, which tells head office, regions and staff that the union is experiencing cash-flow ”challenges” and to make sure they do not waste resources.
Mamba said it also urges regions to postpone some regional conferences to ”get the union back on the right footing”.
The memorandum confirms the R3-million debt, attributing it to the security guard and Transnet disputes, salaries and union activities.
”However, it is an amount we all know and are servicing prudently.”
The union denied that it is broke.
”We can therefore reassure you that there is no threat whatsoever that Satawu may be declared bankrupt. All our financial obligations are met on time and effectively.”
Mamba earlier told the South African Press Association that such memoranda were routine. Some of the reasons for sending them are to get staff to cut down on time spent on phone calls to their international affiliates.
He conceded that the security guards’ strike, which lasted three months, had cost the union money.
”A long strike is costly, but we can’t accumulate R3-million [from the strike],” he said.
Security guards belonging to Satawu and the Transport and Allied Workers’ Union of South Africa held out for an 11% pay increase, but finally signed an agreement which gave them 9,25% in the first year and 7,25% in the second and third years of the deal.
At least 60 non-striking guards are believed to have been murdered for defying the strike.
Mamba said the union had to pay legal fees while it defended itself in court — ”R30 000 here and R50 000 there” — and also had to pay for march escorts, worker transport to demonstrations and the hire of public-address systems.
The union received monthly subscriptions from its members — 80 000 according to its website — and has a strike fund which it pays into, although this is not substantial.
The solidarity fund set up by the Congress of South African Trade Unions during the strike provided the union with only a modest amount.
It has to pay the salaries of ”around 100” full-time employees, and the expenses of regional office bearers.
Satawu was formed in 2000 and represents workers in the road-freight, maritime, road-passenger, aviation, cleaning, rail, security, toll and support-services sectors. — Sapa