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Workshop on organizing

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29 October, 2013Making organizing a central theme of IndustriALL's work in Africa region was discussed at a two-day workshop held in Johannesburg in October 2013.

The workshop was attended by regional staff and project coordinators as well as representatives from three affiliated unions; Tanzanian general union Tuico and textile unions Sactwu from South Africa) and the NUTGTWN from Nigeria. Affiliates shared practical experiences of organising with examples of challenges faced and how the union overcame these. Project coordinators outlined current initatives, highlighting how these incorporated organising.

Assistant General Secretary of IndustriALL, Fernando Lopes outlined the principles on which organising work should be conducted at country level, these includes, ensuring that there is no competition between affiliates for membership, that affiliates cooperate in joint activities and that sustainability of affiliates is promoted. Affiliates should include in their organising plans specific effort to organise women, youth, precarious workers and white collar workers. Unions need to collect information on companies in order to develop strategic plans for organising that includes tactics to reduce the risk of victimisation of newly recruited members and other union busting activities. Growing union membership should be seen as the first step of organising, followed by capacity building efforts that ensure structures are put in place for functioning worker democracy in the union.

Sub regional specific strategies were developed to establish organising as a priority in IndustriALL activities and projects. These included supporting affiliates to develop plans and capacity to organise workers, conduct mapping exercises in certain countries and developing targets for union growth.