The South African Trade and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu) acknowledged on Wednesday it had a R3-million debt, but denied this was from the recent security guard strike.
Spokesperson Ronnie Mamba confirmed union general secretary Randall Howard had issued a memorandum urging staffers to keep costs under control, but said this was routine.
”We do this often, I have three in front of me,” he said.
Some of the reasons for sending the memoranda to staffers include a reminder not to spend too long on the phone to affiliates in Australia and the United Kingdom.
The union was also expected to attend three conferences this year and needed to control costs to allow for the expenses associated with those conferences.
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% increase, but finally signed an agreement that gave them 9,25% in the first year and 7,25% in the second and third years of the deal.
The main benefits were seen in the salaries of lower paid guards.
At least 60 non-striking guards are believed to have been murdered for defying the strike, according to a provident fund for their survivors.
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.
But this did not amount to R3-million, he said.
The union received monthly subscriptions from its members — 80 000 according to its website — and had a strike fund which it paid into, although this was not substantial.
It does not get money from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) — but instead pays money to fund Cosatu.
The solidarity fund set up by Cosatu 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.
But the debt would have no effect on the union’s work, he said.
”We are completely liquid … It [the R3-million debt] doesn’t have much bearing on how we work.”
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