Looming strike over home of pageant

It was proposed that the Good Hope Centre be used as a temporary film studio

WHILE the annual Spring Queen Pageant remains without a venue, the SA Clothing and Textile Workers’ Union (Sactwu) executive committee will meet today to discuss a mandate protest against the City’s “unilateral decision” to lease the Good Hope Centre to a film company until December.

The union said the purpose for its special Extended Regional Executive Committee meeting was to finalise a mandate on whether it should call for a general strike in the province.

The annual pageant, which was mainly held at the Good Hope Centre over the last 40 years, takes place during the second week of November.

The City proposed that the Good Hope Centre be used as a temporary film studio for three years, with a single tenant or combination of tenants from the film industry.

Sactwu general secretary André Kriel said: “This is an unusual step for the union, which very seldom calls such a special meeting of its most senior constitutional structure in the province.

He said the meeting was expected to consolidate the individual factory mandates on the matter into one province-wide decision.

“Should the union leadership secure such a mandate, a general strike by thousands of Sactwu members against the City’s unacceptable actions could be called as early as October.”

Such protest action would additionally be supported by civil society organisations in the province, he added.

“Our Spring Queen Pageant is about promoting local jobs by promoting locally manufactured fashion. Local does not appear to be ‘lekka’ for the City.

“Sactwu does not accept the disrespectful manner in which our members’ premier ‘Save Jobs Campaign’ has been summarily dismissed by the City,” Kriel said.

A Sactwu Regional Shopstewards’ Council meeting last week resolved to seek a mandate from the clothing sector.

“Textile and leather workers are to instruct the union leadership to lodge a Section 77 Labour Relations Act Notice with the National Economic and Development Council,” he said.

Fachmy Abrahams, Sactwu co-ordinator, said the alternative venues made available were either too small or were open-roofed stadiums.

The union was offered the Belhar Civic Centre, OR Tambo Hall in Khayelitsha or the Swartklip Indoor Centre in Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain.

“They also gave us the Kenilworth racecourse, but that is not an appropriate venue because it’s in the open.

“We were also looking at an option of holding it at the Athlone Stadium, but that is also in the open,” said Abrahams.

Mayco member for Tourism, Events and Economic Development Garreth Bloor said: “Our suggested alternative venues and offers to help remain on the table. We will continue to engage with the Sactwu leadership.

“We respect Sactwu’s right to protest, as long as this is done peacefully.” siyavuya.mzantsi@inl.co.za

@Siyavuya2