Urgent CAll For Solidarity!

The Nomzamo Cleaning Cooperative, a worker cooperative, in existence since 2001 has been successfully providing cleaning services to the University of Fort Hare. On 26th March the University decided to terminate the tender arrangement with the cooperative and has instead chosen to procure the services of a private company called Homeguard. This action by the University means all 137 worker owners in this cooperative will be unemployed, after 7 years of building a worker run cooperative. It also means greater insecurity for worker-owner families and a negative impact on the local economy. The cooperative demands the following:

(1) The University must disclose all information about the tender, given that Nomzamo Cleaning Cooperatives tender was the best, the cooperative has provided high quality service and it has built up 7 years experience;

(2) The University to pay the cooperative money owed since 2001 amounting to R35 223; 

(3) The University must not sign the contract with the private company until the dispute is resolved with the cooperative.

The cooperative is calling for solidarity action which includes sending letters of protest to the Vice Chancellor, Dr Mvuyo Tom, University of Fort Hare. Fax: 0866282254 / 040 6531338.

Deadline: 16h00, Thursday, 24 April 2008.