Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Africa could lead the way in precision medicine
  • Wall-to-Wall Creation
  • Covid grant should be increased to at least R413, say civil society groups
  • National shutdown goes off peacefully in Makhanda
  • A bond forged by mentoring
  • Ibe yimpumelelo itumente yolutsha eQhorha
  • A good financial planner is indispensable
  • Exciting encounters in LFA Premier League weekend games
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»NEWS»New workers’ union launches at Rhodes
NEWS

New workers’ union launches at Rhodes

Kathryn ClearyBy Kathryn ClearyMay 1, 2019No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

On Friday 26 April an eager group of Rhodes University workers launched a new worker’s union. The South African Liberated Public Sector Workers’ Union (Salipswu), founded at Rhodes, has declared themselves a non-politically aligned union and strives to return to the basic principles of revolution in the workplace. “We are an independent worker union, worker controlled for better conditions of service, safety and health standards and quality public service.”

Rhodes University workers celebrate the launch of SALIPSWU, a new workers union. Photo: Stephen Kisbey-Green

Salipswu is affiliated with the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu), differing from another popular workers’ union at Rhodes, the National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu), which is affiliated with Cosatu. Salipswu is an independent trade union, driven by the working class. Their principles state that the union is “always preoccupied with struggle for worker control and ownership” and “endeavouring for quality”.

“Salipswu responded to the abandoned historic mission of the working class”, says their mission statement, “which is meant to fearlessly fight for, protect and unite all workers against the employer and cruel capitalist exploiting regime at all times”.

The launch was well attended and included a welcoming message from the current SRC President of the University, Samkelo Mngadi. Salipswu stated at the launch that they strive to take the issues of the students as their own, using powerful protests like Fees Must Fall as an example of positive change on varsity campuses.

With May Day this week, the birth of Salipswu is significant for South African labour history, as well as the history of Rhodes University.

Meanwhile, Cosatu will be hosting their own May Day celebrations around the province. A press release states that “marches will be preceded by marches where memorandums containing workers demands will be handed over to hostile employers and the Department of Labour”. 

Cosatu’s theme for this year’s celebrations is ‘Deepen the Back to Basic Campaign, Consolidate the Struggle for NDR and Advance the Struggle for Socialism’.

“This theme reflects the focus areas of our work from the last National Congress where we will be focusing on building our engines, protecting jobs, pushing for economic transformation and building unity.”

The union calls for workers to join them in celebrating the achievements under the ANC-led democratic government, as well as highlighting outstanding demands.

Salipswu (also known as Sapsu) members sing and dance in celebration of the launch of the new union. Photo: Stephen Kisbey-Green
Previous ArticleMoon cakes, a week in Russia and one Cuban cigar
Next Article Election work can be lethal
Kathryn Cleary

Investigative journalist; health, human rights, politics and environmental stories.

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.