National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa

/ 18 June 2024

As the ANC loses its grip on power, its alliance members may be tempted to fill the gap they helped create

Building a leftist party to contest future elections will require exorcising existing organisations of their Stalinism — or creating something from a much smaller base

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By Sarah Smit

Business

/ 14 June 2024

Government of national unity: Political shift tests Cosatu’s influence

The labour movement helped end apartheid and usher in Mandela’s coalition government. Its currently diminished position is cause for anxiety as the ANC forges new political alliances

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By Sarah Smit

Thought Leader

/ 2 November 2023

Agoa and labour’s ‘nothing about us, without us’ moment

Trade unions from the US and sub-Saharan Africa will be calling for decent work to be put on the agenda at this week’s Agoa forum

By Sarah Smit

Business

/ 4 July 2023

Warning Bell: Trade union threatens strike action at machinery maker

Richards Bay-based Bell Equipment recently reported a 63% bump in profits while workers demand a R1 000 transport allowance

By Sarah Smit

Business

/ 8 May 2023

Numsa, ArcelorMittal sign wage agreement

The three-year agreement runs from 1 April to 31 March 2026

By Anathi Madubela

Opinion

/ 5 May 2023

Public ownership of the electricity system must be defended

We cannot allow the planned handover of Eskom coal power stations to the private sector to go ahead

By Irvin Jim

Opinion

/ 25 April 2023

There is no place for scab labour in SA

Replacement labour, which stands to prolong industrial action and lockouts, undermines the right to strike

By Sarah Smit

Business

/ 11 March 2023

Public sector crunch inflicts pain

The government is walking a tightrope as civil servants embark on industrial action over pay

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By Sarah Smit

Opinion

/ 8 March 2023

The seeds of the 1973 Durban strikes still grow

Several unions were formed in the wake of the seminal strikes 50 years ago, including the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa

By Irvin Jim

National

/ 24 January 2023

Eskom, government face constitutional challenge on load-shedding

Nineteen interest groups are seeking urgent relief from ongoing load-shedding to ensure the provision of basic services

By Emsie Ferreira

Opinion

/ 16 October 2022

South African Communist Party, Cosatu are stuck with the ANC

Despite being disillusioned with their ally in government, the SACP and the labour federation are unlikely to leave the tripartite alliance

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By Mcebisi Ndletyana

National

/ 31 July 2022

Business unionism: Numsa risks collapse amid battle of ideas

Some, including Zwelinzima Vavi, say unions risk collapse if they are run like businesses — a critique that Irvin Jim argues is part of a ‘mischievous attack’ on his leadership

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By Sarah Smit

National

/ 28 July 2022

Numsa’s Irvin Jim claims media takedown campaign

The metalworkers union leader has alleged that NGOs want to capture the union, using media outlets

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By Sarah Smit

Business

/ 28 July 2022

Numsa’s R39-million congress in peril, as court interdict stands

The labour court’s Judge Graham Moshoana noted the ‘disturbing revelation’ that the union went ahead with the interdicted congress

By Sarah Smit

Business

/ 21 July 2022

Irvin Jim accuses suspended Numsa leaders of ‘lawfare’

The general secretary says the court should be slow to interfere with internal union disputes

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By Sarah Smit

Business

/ 20 July 2022

Numsa suspensions are ‘a tool to frustrate the democratic process’, says suspended second deputy president in her affidavit

A court bid that could result in Numsa’s congress being interdicted comes amid a battle for the heart of the country’s single-largest union

By Sarah Smit

National

/ 5 July 2022

Eskom and unions reach wage agreement, workers back at work

The power utility warned that the system would take some time to recover because maintenance work had been postponed because of the unprotected strike

By Anathi Madubela

Business

/ 1 July 2022

Workers didn’t cause Eskom crisis

The utility’s employees went on an unprotected strike but years of poor decisions wrecked the energy producer

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By Duma Gqubule

National

/ 26 May 2022

Victorious Vavi back on Saftu throne

The general secretary of the South African Federation of Trade Unions was re-elected despite moves by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa

By Sonri Naidoo

National

/ 24 May 2022

South African Federation of Trade Unions membership numbers decline

Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi says the dwindling numbers are a result of the economic crisis and other factors

By Sonri Naidoo

Business

/ 25 October 2021

Steel strike: Workers struck while the iron was hot

After almost three weeks, labour and employers have reached a deal — setting the steel industry back on its path to recovery

By Sarah Smit

Business

/ 15 June 2021

‘People feel they have a stake in SAA’ — Gidon Novick

Interest in the beleaguered national carrier, which has received billions of rands in public funding, means criticism is inevitable

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