Johannesburg — As NUMSA in the year 2001, we pride ourselves as having achieved more workers and succeeded in our campaigns and programmes. It has been a very busy and productive year for the union. This can be attributed to the collective wisdom, determination and strength to strive in improving a lot for workers in the following areas.

On Wages:

NUMSA's strong collective bargaining strategy managed to achieve quantitative and substantive results in the car assembly, petrol stations, engineering, Steel, Eskom, tyre and rubber industries during this year's wage negotiations. The average wage percentage increase in the car assembly, engineering and steel companies was 9% far above the current inflation rate climbing slightly to 6%. The Steel and Engineering industry workers received the highest minimum weekly wage of R939.62 for 41-hour working week. In the petrol stations the union achieved remarkable and outstanding across the board increase of 8% for a 45-hour working week, for the first in the history of the sector. The minimum wages for petrol attendants is R209,50 per week with certain rural garages receiving below this agreed minimum wage rate. Also at Eskom the union improved a lot for members, with the current "market related " increases of 9.07%.

We have set pace in the metal industry for better wage increases across the economic sectors. We believe that the average wage settlement which culminated in major strike actions was as a result of metalworkers pursuance of workers legitimate demands and commitment to fight tirelessly to improve the wages and working conditions of workers. We undertook in this regard to use our resources and strength to struggle for better wage increases against employers. We have remained focused to address the diminishing purchasing power of members.

On Rival unions:

This year NUMSA 's vigorous strategy to defeat the rival unions particularly at the VWSA company has been successful. We have managed to improve our membership base at the company from 1900 to 2700 and won a CCMA bargaining dispute against the Oil , Chemical , General Allied Workers Union (OCGAWU). This follows the recent interim award that the rival union is not recognised to have 40 % representation among hourly-rated workers. We are more than delighted that relentless attack on Numsa have been dealt with effectively. As a union , we have gained power and momentum to address on issues that affect members. We proud ourselves of giving attention to servicing members. We were able to deal with the issues in the following manner:

Implementationof a proactive programme in the company where members will have access to it, on the other hand continues to mobilise around traditional immediate issues.

VW SAshould be a special project where we put material and human resources to consolidate and organise workers.

Use the project to engage with range of issues that affecting the quality of life in the workplace.

Intensifythe programme by sending shopstewards/organisers to organise the disillusioned members.

By monitoring the activities of the counter- revolutionary forces that want to take members.

Pay more attention to weaknesses whiles building on the strength.

On the Political front:

As the year come to a close, NUMA can definitely pride itself of having contributed enormously on the political front in this country. The year 2001 can be characterized as a year with many political upheavals in which the labour movement in general accorded itself well. Among many political interventions that labour has made, these are the critical ones that were believe stand to define labour political engagements this year.

The anti-privatisation strike, which resulted into the ANC briefing notes. What was more interesting was the timing as a result of the racism conference. The briefing notes brought to the fore the tensions on the ANC, SACP, COSATU alliance. What makes this political discourse unique is the federation attempt to find an acceptable grounds in addressing differences within the alliance by making sure that differences are addressed in proper forums. That the alliance structure must build a broad based sustainable partnership to forge a coherent programme in addressing socio economic issues. COSATU Central Committee emerged victorious because political solutions have been reached to political problems. The labour movement has been focused in making sure that the ANC briefing notes do not plunge the country into a major political crisis.

The LRA and BCEA amendments which were threatening to create political and labour instability on hard won workers rights. The current labour law changes are a resounding victory for workers across the sectors. We hope and trust that the labour law changes will steer economic growth and enhance improvement in skill levels. They will set the basis for fundamental transformation in the labour market.

On the Job losses:

With the rising unemployment in the automobile and engineering sectors, NUMSA will be calling for two-sector job summit (SJS) for next year whose raison detre is as follows:

createquality jobs while simultaneously defend existing jobs; meetworking class basic needs;

to promote democratization in terms of ownership in the two industries;

to ensure that industries adhere to environment and health standards; and

to promote the developmental state.

The two sector jobs summits, which will be called by NUMSA, are the automobile SJS planned to take place around June 2002 and engineering SJS anticipated to start around 2003. The union will be engaging government, business and community organizations on the two-sector job summit. to ensure effective preparation and engagements, NUMSA has undertaken a number of programmes. This programmes entails:

Conducting researches into the two sectors;

Build capacity in the union in terms of understanding and engaging with sectoral issues;

Established industrial strategy teams;

Encore the SJS around political mobilization

For more information contact Dumisa Ntuli at 689 1700 or cell 0829737282.