Topical Opinion - Organising on the mines

Title: Topical Opinion - Organising on the mines
Creator: SAIRR
Subject: SAIRR
Date: 2000
Type: text
Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/111247
Identifier: vital:33420
Description: When the National Union of Mineworkers was formed an experienced unionist said to me "organising workers in South Africa is the art of the possible". But organising workers in the mining industry is the art of the impossible. It has been the art of the impossible because it has been the art of trying to make a fundamental change in a system by using structures and instruments that were designed to perpetuate that system. It lias been the art of the impossible because it has been the art of trying to make a revolution with moderate tools tli at were invented to prevent a revolution. Because of the nature of the mining industry, which is conservative or ultraconservative by any definition, the black miner has been condemned to seek radical ends within a framework which was designed to prevent sudden and radical changes. For almost one hundred years now, black miners have not been able to change their status. The African Miners' Union in 1946 under J B Marks made an attempt but was brutally crushed by a combination of employer and government forces. It is against this background that our union has developed its organising strategies. Organising has taken place around a number of issues, some of which are safety, wages, and working- class unity.
Format: 5 pages, pdf
Publisher: South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR)
Language: English
Rights: South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR)
Rights: No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission from the publisher

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