Johannesburg - The newly formed SA Liberated Public Sector Workers Union (SALIPSWU) has come out in support of the #FeesMustFall student movement.
“The student uprising has unearthed challenges in the education system. We cannot only view it as involving higher education only,” said SALIPSWU’s interim president, Thobile Ntola.
“We have not properly contextualised the issue of merit in terms of the Freedom Charter.
“The simplistic reference to merit (implies) academic achievement must be pursued (with cognisance of) the socio-economic and wealth inequality dynamics (of South Africa).”
Ntola was expelled from the SA Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) last year when he was implicated in a corruption scandal involving the union.
Former Cosatu union, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA, which was also expelled last year, is supporting Ntola’s new union.
It appears the SALIPSWU launch is part of Numsa's strategy to establish alternatives to dominant public sector unions, specifically the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union and Sadtu.
Ntola said police union Popcru was also guilty of purging dissidents in its union as far back as three years ago, which was leading to many disgruntled members looking for a new union - and they were joining SALIPSWU in droves.
Numsa, meanwhile, claims to be the country’s largest trade union, while it is simultaneously forging ahead with a political alternative to the governing ANC’s alliance, which includes Cosatu, the SACP and the SA National Civic Organisation.
The political alternative has been dubbed the Movement for Socialism, while the union’s United Front is a civil society coalition.
Ntola said SALIPSWU would remain strictly non-aligned to any political party and was aiming to acquire at least 100 000 members by the end of the year.
LABOUR BUREAU