Eswatini Labour Insight

  A TUCOSWA banner for workers day 2023 commemoration The Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) ,the federation of workers in Eswatini/Swaziland is heading for the sugarbelt to commemorate its 2023 workers day. Specifically the eastern agricultural town of BigBend ,which hosts the iconic Mayaluka Sports Ground or Stadium ,will host the main rally for workers day.  The theme of the 2023 TUCOSWA Workers Day is, "WORKERS IN PURSUIT OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS,FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY"  In keeping with norms of previous workers day rallies, the 2023 rally will be preceded by a march around the Big Bend Illovo Estate and will be led by TUCOSWA leaders and its aim is to sensitise the community about selected issues affecting workers. The march will reportedly kick-off at 0830 and it will end in the Mayaluka stadium where the main event will be taking place. The main event is likely to feature a keynote address by the President of TUCOSWA Bheki Mamba, an address from the TUCOSWA Secret

                                                           Saturday the 8th of April 2023 marked a full month since the Association of Lecturers Academic and Administrative Personnel (ALAAP) engaged in a protected strike action at the University of Swaziland (UNESWA). Twelve days later and on the 20th March 2023 that workers organised by the National Workers Union of Swaziland Higher Institutions (NAWUSHI) joined their ALAAP counterparts in the strike action. UNESWA operations have been grounded since then. As their name suggests the ALAAP represents lecturers, academic and senior administrative workers at UNESWA while NAWUSHI represents all non academic workers in all sections of the university. The common grievance of ALAAP and NAWUSHI is the fact that UNESWA has not been effecting notch increases to the salaries of workers for more than five years now and workers are demanding that they adjust their notches dating back to year 2021. The employer (UNESWA) has publicly raised two obje

    Picture: A poster released by the ITUC to mobilise trade unions around the world to hold activities on the 12th April 2023. Written by Fundizwi Sikhondze - Publisher The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) the global federation of a majority of trade union federations around the globe has called for the 12th April 2023 to be declared the Eswatini Global Day of Action. In this call the ITUC seeks to mobilise all trade union organisations around the globe to stand with the workers of Eswatini who are under state repression from the government since 12th April 1973 when the the decree popularly known as the 1973  Decree or otherwise the "Proclamation by His Majesty King Sobhuza II 12th April 1973" was promulgated. It is not a secret that trade union freedoms such as the right to assembly have been curtailed in Eswatini with government invoking  the Public Service Act (2018) ,a law that contains remnants of the 1973 decree ,to ban trade union gatherings. For the 12

  Samuel Shongwe Interview Sam "Lumanyoka"Shongwe at the 2022 NAWUSHI Congress Samuel Shongwe (popularly known as LumaNyoka) has enjoyed what could be regarded as a successful trade union career spanning more than two decades. In that period he not only led the local trade union at the University of eSwatini (UNESWA) but he also went on to lead the national federation, the Swaziland Federation of Trade Unions (SFTU) from 2004 to 2008.  For those who may have forgotten, the SFTU was the processor to the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) which was established in 2012. After serving the SFTU Sam continued to serve the union National Workers Union in Swaziland Higher Institutions (NAWSUHI) a union formerly known as the Swaziland union of Non Academic Staff for Higher Institutions (SUNASHI).He led NAWUSHI until early 2022 when he handed the baton of leadership to a new collective led by Sikelela Ngwenya, his erstwhile deputy. To reflect on his career in the trade u