From: harelb@math.cornell.edu (Harel Barzilai)
Subject: SPOTLIGHT ON SOUTH AFRICA
Organization: The Ohio State University Department of Computer and Information Science
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1992 23:13:29 GMT

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	  S P O T L I G H T   O N   S O U T H   A F R I C A

	N R   3 0 / 9 2   -   S E P T E M B E R   3   1 9 9 2
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Spotlight on South Africa is a weekly service by the ICFTU INFO 
Division focusing on the struggle of the independent black trade union 
movement in South Africa. 

THE NATIONAL UNION OF METALWORKERS of South Africa (Numsa) has been 
forced to call off from Monday August 31 its four-week-old strike in 
the engineering industry after the Supreme Court last week declared 
the strike unlawful on the grounds of ballotting irregularities. 
Union organising secretary Bernie Fanaroff reported on August 31 that 
a number of firms have implemented mass dismissals of workers 
returning to work.  He said it appeared certain employers were 
attempting to weaken or smash the union.  Earlier, Fanaroff said the 
court ruling laid down extremely onerous conditions for the conduct of 
ballots, and these could effectively lead to a situation where it was 
impossible for unions to conduct a lawful strike. 

THE CABINET ON WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2 announced its acceptance of plans 
for the restructuring of the National Manpower Commission - the 
statutory  advisory body to the Minister of Manpower.  The 
restructuring has been delayed for at least a year, in part due to a 
turnover of four ministers in the period.  The restructured NMC - with 
labour, management, and the minister each nominating a third of its 
members - will be far more representative than its predecessor from 
which Cosatu withdrew its co-operation nearly a year ago.  Cosatu has 
cautiously welcomed the announcement pending a more detailed 
discussion on whether the changes go far enough.  One shortcoming from 
the union point of view is that the body would remain purely advisory, 
whereas Cosatu has proposed that any agreements between management and 
labour should be made binding on the Ministry. 

THE FOOD AND ALLIED WORKERS' UNION has linked inter-union rivalry to 
the fatal shooting of a Fawu shopsteward east of Johannesburg on 
Monday August 23.  Julia Sgudla was shot and killed while going to 
work,  Fawu general secretary Mandla Gxanyana said on Tuesday August 
24.  He said there were many unanswered questions about the killing 
given the presence at the plant of the Inkatha-aligned United Workers' 
Union of South Africa. 

THE CHEMICAL WORKERS' INDUSTRIAL UNION (CWIU) last week convened a 
meeting with 64 companies to begin discussions on the union's demand 
for the establishment of centralised bargaining in the sector. 
However, CWIU acting general secretary Muzi Buthelezi said the union 
was concerned that several major companies, including oil 
multinationals Shell, BP and Caltex had not attended.  Talks are due 
to continue during September. 

END