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Trade Unions, Political Unions and Social Movement Unions: a Case Study of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) in the Context of Polokwane

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Trade Unions, Political Unions and Social Movement Unions: a Case Study of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) in the Context of Polokwane Trade Unions, Political Unions and Social Movement Unions: A Case Study of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) in the context of Polokwane A research report submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Labour Policies and Globalisation 2009 Candidate: Edwin C. Anisha Number: 397997 Supervisor: Professor Devan Pillay Abstract i Issues regarding the role of trade unions in the social transformation of nation-states still remain an area of huge debate in academic and official circles - even within trade unions themselves. The debate has centred largely on the capacity and/or appropriateness of political involvement of trade unions. A major concern relates to the temptation for labour to become incorporated in the course of its insertion into politics. Lately, this debate has resonated around developing countries involved in implementing Bretton Woods-inspired reforms, with their stylized economic models that emphasize greater openness to the market; usually at immense social costs and distemper. The challenge appears to be greater in those countries undertaking (concurrently) substantial political and economic reforms in form of institutionalizing democratic governance and market-led economic growth. What has become customary in such countries is massive resentment and opposition towards authorities by subaltern groups led by the working class and their organizations, mainly as a result of deprivations associated with such policies. The consequence has regularly been the recourse to forms of authoritarianism by ruling elites and governments of these countries in order to push through these reforms - regardless of their performance on the ground. The harsh measures associated with these policies, particularly for workers and the poor, has frequently resulted in tensions between organized labour and the state-even in climes that have had a long history of close labour-state relations. More interesting for analysts and observers has been the relative inability for labour to respond to such developments in countries where a corporatist culture has fostered, in spite of the fact that it usually takes the heaviest toll from such policies. This has tended to support the argument that insertion into politics and participation in corporatist arrangements leads to a ii permanent loss of oppositional skill and more vibrant and militant trade union tradition. The South African case largely adjusts to the picture painted above - at least up till recently. A major change in the leadership of the ANC largely as a result of mobilization of organized labour and its allies has rekindled the debate over the veracity of the narratives that attribute permanence to union political and organizational forms. The view of this research is that these trade union features mutate. The seeming resurgence of the South African trade union as gauged from the Polokwane events has encouraged study on these features. NUMSA was adopted as case study for this research. The research question is quite straight: What is NUMSA’s political orientation and its organizational form, especially in the light of its traditions and developments at Polokwane? Can NUMSA be described as a political union, business union or social movement union? The results of the study reveal a complex picture that shows the presence of elements of all these union types within NUMSA. However, the union continues to show a strong tendency toward independent politics and an organizational form that embodies transformational attributes that are strongly suggestive of the social movement union type. iii Declaration: I declare that this research report is my original effort. It is submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg for the degree of Master of Arts. It has not been previously submitted for the award of a degree in any university. _______________________________ Edwin Chukwumah Anisha ______13_ th day of ______December_____________, 2010 iv Dedication To the working class people of Nigeria and South Africa - in salute of their heroic struggles for justice, truth and social transformation. v Acknowledgement I thank God foremost for the grace given to me to start and complete this programme. I thank also those who inspired me to undertake the programme. I am extremely grateful to my supervisor, Professor Devan Pillay for his tremendous support and guidance, which has ensured the accomplishment of this effort. I have been very much drawn to his supervision-style that encourages the candidate to innovate considerably. I owe a debt of intellectual gratitude to all my teachers (and facilitators) in the GLU programme - I have richly benefitted from their experience. I acknowledge the supportive roles played by Christine, Zahn and Faith- GLU programme coordinators at different periods. I acknowledge the love and friendship of my classmates. I wish to acknowledge the effort of Alex Mashilo, in facilating access to NUMSA. A number of factors influenced my decision to undertake this study. First was my long standing and keen interest in union renewal studies and projects. I have been involved in several initiatives directed at developing strategic plans for trade unions in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. The purpose of these efforts was to assist unions reposition themselves in the face of challenges thrust at them by neoliberal economic policies and globalization. Second, my interaction with Professor Devan Pillay; my supervisor was quite crucial in terms of the crystallizing of ideas and interest into a researchable topic. Through several discussions with him, and reading from a variety of academic resources on contemporary South African trade union politics which he obliged me with, I became further enlightened on the main issues, in addition to identifying knowledge gaps in the area suitable for research. vi Third, my South African trade union colleagues on the Global Labour University (GLU) programme played some part in my choice of research theme. They were instrumental in convincing me about the merits of focusing on a South African case study rather than the Nigerian one that I had earlier contemplated. I wish to thank all others whose influences have had very beneficial effect on me in the course of this programme. Finally, I accept responsibility for this work. vii Table of Contents Abstract ..................................................................................................................................... i Declaration: ............................................................................................................................. iv Table of Contents .................................................................................................................. viii CHAPTER ONE: ...................................................................................................................... 1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ......................................................................................... 1 1.2. Aim ................................................................................................................................ 8 1.3 Rationale ....................................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER TWO .................................................................................................................... 15 LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................... 15 2.1. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework ...................................................................... 15 2.2.1. Trade Unions ......................................................................................................... 22 2.2.2. Business Unionism ................................................................................................ 23 2.2.3. Political Unionism ................................................................................................. 24 2.2.4. Social movement unionism ................................................................................... 24 2.3. Institutionalization and Bureaucratization of the Labour Movement ........................... 29 2.4. Trade Unions and Political Involvement ...................................................................... 31 2.5. South African Labour Movement and the Politics of Alliance ..................................... 32 2.6. Neo-liberalism and the Labour Movement ................................................................... 34 CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................................ 37 METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES ............................................................................................. 37 3.1. Introduction .................................................................................................................. 37 3.2. Gaining Access ........................................................................................................... 39 3.3. Research Design .......................................................................................................... 40 3.4. Case Study- NUMSA ................................................................................................... 42 3.5. Research Methods and Data Gathering Procedure
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