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Last updated: 2 April, 2009 |
Milestones
Milestones Towards 2011
On our way towards 2011 the road would be characterized by milestones that we need to pass. In 2011 the union would be celebrating 70 years of heritage and 25 years of unity. Heritage because we trace our union’s history from February 1941, when FCWU was established. Unity because the historic merger of FCWU and SFAWU occurred in June 1986.
February 2009 Unveiling Neil Aggett House
We would be commemorating the 27th anniversary of the death of Neil Aggett who murdered by Apartheid security forces back in 1982 February. In his honour the union would name the building after this former Regional Organizer of the then Transvaal region of the Food and Canning Workers Union, who is the first white political detainee to die in prison.
The ceremony would be held on the 06th February 2010 to coincide with the actual death date of Neil Aggett and would be attended by NEC members and BOBs of Gauteng province, staff members in our satellite and Gauteng offices. On the 07th February a big rally would be convened in the hall of Tembisa hospital, where Neil used to work as a medical practicing activist.
September 2009 Extended NEC/National Staff Meetings and COSATU congress.
We would convene an extended NEC of about 120 participants, extended to FAWU delegates to COSATU congress, and coincide this with national staff meeting. This extended NEC would be utilized to take policy positions that the union would argue at the COSATU congress and preferred candidates for leadership positions in the federation. In addition, the national staff meeting would be convened in the same period where after there would be a joint session of staff and NEC delegates.
January – March 2010 Shop Stewards Elections
This period would be utilized for a round of elections for shop steward office throughout the organization across all FAWU organized workplaces. These elections are conducted as part of democratic practice and culture.
April – September 2010 Branch and Provincial Congresses
Branch congresses would be immediately held across the 58 branches in the period of April – June 2010 and in July – September 2010 all the 8 provincial structures would hold their congresses. These are triennial meetings where leadership, branch and provincial office bearers are elected to serve their three-year term.
February 2011 - 70th Year of Heritage
In February 2011, the union would be celebrating its 70 years of history since the Food and Canning Workers Union was founded on the 11 February 2011 back in the town of Paarl and surrounding areas of Boland region of the Western Cape.
June 2011 25th Year of Unity
The union as we know it now was strengthened when both the FCWU and the SFAWU merged into a single bigger union called Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) in line with COSATU’s principle of ‘One Industry One, One Country One Federation’.
September 2011 National Congress
The union would then convene a national congress in September 2011 as the four-year term that started in September 2007 comes to a close. We would use this conference to invite all former NOBs of the union. On the last day of the conference we would extend this invitation to all those officials and shop stewards who used to belong to the union to be part of a national celebration rally to be held in East Rand.
Conclusion
We have resolved to strengthen this home of workers in the primary sectors of agriculture, forestry and sea-going fishing as well as those workers in the food processing and beverage manufacturing industries. To strengthen it so as to leave an infrastructure for the coming generation of leaders and members to find and utilize in pursuit of struggles and campaigns for decent jobs, living wages, better working conditions and improved quality of life.
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