TRANSPORT UNIONS UNITE, FORM SWATCHA

MANZINI – In a bid to strengthen their bargaining power, two transport unions have merged to form one union.

The unions that have come together are the Swaziland Transport Allied Workers Union (STAWU) and the Public and Private Sector Transport Workers Union (PPSTWU).

The newly-formed union will be known as the Swaziland Transport Communication and Allied Workers Union (SWATCAWU).

During the SWATCAWU inaugural conference held at Caritas Centre, Manzini, yesterday, Sticks Nkambule explained that they had also invited two media unions to join the mother body.
“This will explain the ‘communication’ in the name of the organisation,” Nkambule said.

Merge

Giving a brief background, Nkambule said around 2007 STAWU, PPSTWU and International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) met at the then The Tums George Hotel to discuss how the organisations could merge.

Earlier in 2004, Nkambule said STAWU and PPSTWU had split after a decision by the then ‘self-serving-worker’ leaders.
He mentioned that the ITF refused PPSTWU affiliation status then, on the basis of discouraging splinter unions.

Consequently, the ITF initiated reconciliatory measures between STAWU and PPSTWU.
As a result, Nkambule said a memorandum was concluded and signed by the leadership of the two unions under the stewardship of the ITF.

“During the course of such proceedings, they roped in SCWU (Swaziland Communication &Allied Worker s Union). Sometime in 2012, the lone genuine workers’ federation, TUCOSWA, held on consolidation of working class in Swaziland through, among other things, was the formation of super unions.

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