Labour

The week in political activism - March 19, 2014

This week we cover the NUMSA Day of Action for Youth Jobs and the TAC’s People’s Health Manifesto campaign.

Brent Meersman

News | 19 March 2014

Bitter background to stalled pay talks

Unless bridges are built between competing sides, legacies of bitterness, hatred and fear, often distorted by prejudice and myth, can persist for decades, even generations. And when there are are fairly recent incidents, especially those involving bloodshed and human loss, feelings, particularly among those who identify as victims, are all the more acute.

Terry Bell

News | 17 March 2014

Marikana: a wake-up call

Four days after the bloodletting that has become known as the Marikana massacre, my Inside Labour column supported the call for a comprehensive and independent inquiry. And it noted, reflecting a widespread view within the labour movement: “The Lonmin tragedy is a wake-up call that South Africa will ignore at its peril.” Now, 19 months later and with the strike on the platinum belt having gone on for nearly two months, that warning seems even more appropriate. Below is an updated commentary that first appeared on the first anniversary of Marikana.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 10 March 2014

The week in political activism

This week we have reports on civil society’s response to the budget and a documentary hosted by Sonke Gender Justice.

Compiled by Brent Meersman

News | 26 February 2014

Strikers refuse to be misled

The curse of spin and speculation is well and truly upon us. It could hardly be otherwise, with a major strike on the platinum mines underway, a general election looming and the labour movement facing the biggest crisis in its history.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 18 February 2014

Landmark silicosis case reaches a milestone

The Legal Resources Centre (LRC) hosted a special event on 5 February 2014 to highlight its landmark silicosis case and the implications for future legislative and policy reform in South Africa.

Sibusiso Tshabalala

News | 6 February 2014

The Transformative Farce of Davos

Vague ideas of transformation are all the rage these days. Take the latest bun fight in Davos, for example. The annual gathering of the grandly named World Economic Forum (WEF) that ended last weekend met under the heading: “The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business.”

Terry Bell

Opinion | 31 January 2014

Activists protest in solidarity with Dasnois

About 40 protesters gathered outside the Cape Town CCMA offices this morning in solidarity with Alide Dasnois, former Cape Times editor.

Sibusiso Tshabalala

News | 24 January 2014

Business Report puts Terry Bell on “indefinite hold”

Terry Bell is a regular contributor to GroundUp. In addition to occasionally writing original material for first publication on GroundUp, he also kindly allows us to republish his Business Report column.

GroundUp Editor

News | 22 January 2014