patth@ccnysci.UUCP (Patt Haring) (09/04/89)
DEFIANCE CAMPAIGN GEARS UP FOR TWO-DAY GENERAL STRIKE Johannesburg/ South Africa's trade union movement is preparing for a two-day general strike, an overtime ban and a consumer boycott, writes a correspondent here. It is also facing the probability of conflict with government security forces as it adds its weight to the national campaign of defiance of apartheid laws and protests against the tri-cameral elections on September 6. A second Workers' Summit, which on August 26 and 27 brought together the country's major trade union federations - the 950,000- strong Cosatu, 140,000-member Nactu as well as delegates from other independent trade unions representing 170,000 workers - also decided on a campaign of sustained worker action against the Labour Relations Act (LRA). The Act, which severely curbs trade union activities came into force a year ago. The ANC and South African Communist Party have meanwhile both been distributing pamphlets inside the country calling for an all- round political offensive against the government, which they see as "off-balance" at present. The general strike is scheduled for September 5 and 6. An indefinite overtime ban has been called, there are plans for protest action and demonstrations at workplaces on the September 1 anniversary of the implementation of the LRA, and a month-long consumer boycott is to start on September 13. A major achievement of the second Workers' Summit was to bring together officially Cosatu and Nactu around a common programme. Nactu withdrew from the first Workers' Summit earlier this year when serious divisions emerged between Africanist and black consciousness tendencies within its ranks over whether or not to participate. In the end, 11 Nactu affiliates broke ranks to attend the first summit (SouthScan v4/30). A further Workers' Summit is now being planned to build on the achievement of unity between Cosatu and Nactu. The summit met under threat from hundreds of heavily armed riot police who surrounded the venue and monitored its proceedings, at one point briefly detaining a speaker who called for the release of Nelson Mandela. The meeting defied conditions imposed by Law and Order Minister Adriaan Vlok which restricted the meeting to discussion of the LRA and barred non-trade union delegates, like community leaders, from taking part. *Police said this week they would conduct random street searches in a pre-election crackdown. --- Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange -=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=- -- Patt Haring | UNITEX : United Nations patth@sci.ccny.cuny.edu | Information patth@ccnysci.BITNET | Transfer Exchange -=- Every child smiles in the same language. -=-