ISSUES ON THE TABLE FOR CONCILIATION;
●The murder of public transport worker, Sabelo Dlamini at Luyengo during a protest action that was organised by SWATCAWU on October 13, 2021.
●Banning of municipal councils and town boards from issuing permits for gatherings in all towns and cities, something which affects all trade unions.
●Prohibition of TUCOSWA from delivering a petition in 2021.
●Torture of SWADNU NEC member Kwazi Simelane by the police during a protest action which was held in Manzini in July 16, 2021.
●The stoppage of the Public Sector Unions’ (PUS) of Swaziland petition delivery exercise by the police on October 24, 2021.
●The throwing of tear gas canisters into a bus and shooting of public sector workers at Nkoyoyo in October 2021.
●The torture of workers by the army on October 28, 2021 during a protest action that was organised by TUCOSWA.
●Deprivation of the right to assembly despite the issuance of a court order permitting the gathering by TUCOSWA in February 2022.
●Dismissal of the Secretary General of SESMAWU, Maureen Nkambule for comments she made in the media in her capacity as a trade union official.
●The outcome of the Manzini Principal Magistrate David Khumalo’s led Commission of Enquiry that investigated police brutality issues which took place in 2018 and 2019 (Comrades Willy Dlamini and Andile Maziya, among others).
●General refusal by employers in the textile and apparel sector to recognise trade unions, specifically the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA).
●The non-payment of terminal benefits for workers despite an existing collective agreement: the case of SAPPI Usuthu workers.
●The adoption of a plan of action with timelines to ensure that public order measures respect civil liberties and the right to freedom of association.
●Violence against trade union officials and organisers.
●Unilateral declaration of an industrial action as unlawful (organised by TUCOSWA in September 2018).
●Intimidation and victimisation of union officials (SNAT President Mbongwa Dlamini and Deputy Secretary General Mcolisi Ngcamphalala).
●Limitation of rights to belong to a union of one’s choice (workers in senior supervisory and junior and middle management positions).
●Restriction of the right to strike by allowing the use of replacement labour.
●Restriction of the right to bargain freely. Stateowned enterprise unions are prevented by the issuance of majors by the government through the Public Enterprise Unit (PEU) Act.