LazyLion
King of de Jungle
Workers needed to be wary of vigilante trade unions and the DA's attempts to rebrand itself, Deputy Public Works Minister Jeremy Cronin said on Wednesday.
He said the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) was a vigilante union that had been formed by ill-disciplined former members of the National Union of Mineworkers.
Cronin, who is also the SA Communist Party deputy general-secretary, was speaking at a Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) Workers' Day rally at Durban's Curries Fountain Stadium.
He accused mining companies Lonmin and Impala Platinum of breaking the collective bargaining process.
Cronin said the decision had emboldened Amcu and had led to the Marikana tragedy.
"Now they are reaping the benefits," he said.
Lonmin made headlines when labour turbulence at its platinum mine in Marikana culminated in a violent clash between police and striking miners on August 16 last year.
A total of 34 mineworkers were shot dead on the day and 78 were wounded. Another ten people were killed in the preceding week.
Cronin called on Cosatu to be unified and to not allow vigilante unions to undermine it.
Cronin said the SACP was concerned at reported divisions within the trade union federation.
He also accused the Democratic Alliance of trying to reinvent itself and change history. He said the party was "hijacking our heroes".
"They can try to turn themselves into prime beef, but they will always be donkey," he said-- referring to the recent meat scandal where it was
discovered that donkey and kangaroo meat was found in beef sausages.
Source : Sapa /js/aa/nsm
Date : 01 May 2013 13:39
He said the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) was a vigilante union that had been formed by ill-disciplined former members of the National Union of Mineworkers.
Cronin, who is also the SA Communist Party deputy general-secretary, was speaking at a Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) Workers' Day rally at Durban's Curries Fountain Stadium.
He accused mining companies Lonmin and Impala Platinum of breaking the collective bargaining process.
Cronin said the decision had emboldened Amcu and had led to the Marikana tragedy.
"Now they are reaping the benefits," he said.
Lonmin made headlines when labour turbulence at its platinum mine in Marikana culminated in a violent clash between police and striking miners on August 16 last year.
A total of 34 mineworkers were shot dead on the day and 78 were wounded. Another ten people were killed in the preceding week.
Cronin called on Cosatu to be unified and to not allow vigilante unions to undermine it.
Cronin said the SACP was concerned at reported divisions within the trade union federation.
He also accused the Democratic Alliance of trying to reinvent itself and change history. He said the party was "hijacking our heroes".
"They can try to turn themselves into prime beef, but they will always be donkey," he said-- referring to the recent meat scandal where it was
discovered that donkey and kangaroo meat was found in beef sausages.
Source : Sapa /js/aa/nsm
Date : 01 May 2013 13:39