The Workers and Socialist Party (WASP) salutes the decision by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) to join the strike in the platinum industry by taking its members in the Amplats smelters at Rustenburg out of work. This is a welcome act of solidarity with the mineworkers of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) who are in their second week of strike action in demand of a basic wage of R12 500.
The struggle for a living wage is one that needs to unite not only all workers in the mining industry, but workers across the economy as well as the unemployed, youth and students. A victory for one must be a victory for all! WASP has therefore encouraged NUMSA members and other mineworkers, including WASP members in the Limpopo mines, to come out in solidarity with the R12 500 demand.
WASP calls for all striking workers, regardless of trade union affiliation, to jointly form workers’ committees as forums in which rank-and-file workers can chart the way forward for their struggle and give guidance to the trade union leaderships.
WASP, with its affiliate the National Transport Movement (NTM – the 50 000-strong break-away from Cosatu-affiliated transport union SATAWU) in the lead, also calls for the formation of a Socialist Trade Union Network, with the aim to constitute a forum for comradely discussion and the forging of unity amongst workers on national level.