GOVT UNBANS TUCOSWA

MBABANE – Government has issued a memorandum to all departments and parastatals to recognise the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) as a representative of workers in the country.

TUCOSWA was deregistered in April 2012, a few weeks after its leadership revealed it would work towards bringing multiparty democracy to Swaziland.
The memorandum, dated December 17, 2013 with reference MoLSS/XA/II was issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
In the memorandum, Nomathemba Hlophe, the ministry’s Principal Secretary (PS) advised government departments to cooperate with labour market federations including TUCOSWA.
The memorandum had the subject line, ‘Principles guiding tripartite labour relations between government, workers and employers in Swaziland’.

In it, Hlophe said after extensive consultations with government, employers and workers, an agreement was reached that would guide the tripartite labour relations.
Hlophe said the parties which entered into the agreement with government were the Federation of Swaziland Employers and Chamber of Commerce (FSE&CC), the Federation of Swaziland Business Community (FESBC) and the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA).

She said the guiding principles were published in May 2013 in the government gazette as General Notice No. 56 of 2013.
Hlophe also reminded the relevant stakeholders that the industrial Relations Act of 2000 did not have provision for the registration of federations.
“The court also directed that the parties should agree on the modus operandi, pending the registration of federations in terms of the Act once amended,” she said.
Vincent Ncongwane, TUCOSWA Secretary General, confirmed having seen the memorandum.

He said it appeared departments were still not willing to work with TUCOSWA.
Ncongwane said the memorandum gave organisations such as the International Labour Organisations (ILO) the impression that everything was well.
“They are giving the world a different picture, yet they still do not really recognise us,” said Ncongwane.
Ncongwane said government departments did not respond to their complaints, especially when dealing with workers related issues.

He said he had also written to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to complain that the organisation was still facing challenges with government departments.
Ncongwane said even other government partners did not want to collaborate with them under the TUCOSWA banner.
He also complained that despite writing letters to the PS complaining, there had been no response.

Ncongwane said the organisation was still being referred to as the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU).
“They are referring to us using defunct organisations,” he said.
Ncongwane said the latest incident was a matter between the Public and Private Sector Transport Union.
Thandukwazi Dludlu, said it was still difficult for employers to accept TUCOSWA at during negotiations.

 “They usually say it is not recognised by government,” he said.
Sive Manana, the Corporate Communications Specialist of Swaziland Railway, said they were a parastatal which abided by government regulations.
“We do not deal directly with TUCOSWA in our relationship as guided by the recognition agreement,” said Manana.

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