[Iyf-ct] CT IWW and CSAAWU

Mon May 24 23:57:22 PDT 2010

Thank you! 

I think e-mails to Trevor for now are still the best as he is really not comfortable with facebook yet - maybe after training next week it will be better. 

In terms of affiliation, we need a lot more information. CSAAWU support the principles of the IWW and have a very solid constitution which has very similar principles. It's the in's and outs we need to discuss. One of the issues is the principle on dues collection. Because of the extreme distances and difficulties organisaing farm workers they do have a system where the employer pays the dues form salaries - which is one area we (IWW CT) have identified another area that we are unclear about is dues. CSAAWU would not be in a position to pay pretty much anything at the moment. I think most importantly we (IWW CT) would need to have a proper workshop on the possibilities,options etc. I will make sure we discuss this at the next meeting. If IWW has some kind of step by step guide to affiliation that would help a lot.

Another concern for us is that we have not yet been able to pay our dues so we don't feel like we are officially part of the IWW. In the second meetings minutes we sent we made soem suggestions in terms of dues, especially for unemployed comrades and very badly paid workers (there are many in SA). Can you let us know if these are okay? One of our members has a paypal account so we could possibly use this untill we sort out this insane bank account saga.

Thank you once again for your patience, continued support and encouragement. 

In solidarity

Mandy

Date: Mon, 24 May 2010 18:34:28 -0700
Subject: Re: CSAAWU
From: mr.kloker at gmail.com
To: mandymoussouris at hotmail.com

Mandy,
I'm glad to hear that the de-registration business is soon to be handled. A voluntary assessment stamp is a way for Wobblies to make a specific contribution (above and beyond their dues) to a specific cause. I have used this method to give money to Starbucks coffee workers and bike messengers here in the United States. I think given the money problems you cite, that would be a really good way for CSAAWU to get some more IWW support. I friended Trevor on Facebook and think that would be a better way to send solidarity statements and requests (obviously international mail is creating a major lag in communication between myself and CSAAWU). I continue to want to help you and the Cape Town IWW in any way I can, so don't be afraid to ask questions. It took me six months of membership to unravel every weird custom and acronym in the IWW. 

Is there any update on the affiliation conversation? I did a talk about CSAAWU at the Los Angeles Organizing Summit and people were very exicited about all of the work that you and CSAAWU are doing! Please know that there are 100s of Wobblies in North America that think what you are doing is among the most exciting developments in the union!
In Solidarity,
Kloker

On Mon, May 24, 2010 at 5:00 AM, Mandy Moussouris <mandymoussouris at hotmail.com> wrote:

Hi,

Thank you very much for your continued support. CSAAWU appreciates it greatly. Good news is that the whole issue around de-registration seems to have been sorted out - I will post news on Facebook page as soon as I have some official information. 

The biggest problem facing CSSAWU now is money. Their auditing costs to comply with the Deparment of Labour was a lot and they are wanting to run a campaign too. I think there were details of costs etc. in the letter Trevor wrote to you requesting if you might be able to help financially. (I sent it from my e-mail as they have very limited internet access, I have attached it again). CSAAWU do not have a proper office or reliable access to the internet or e-mails and they have had limited exposure to the use of computers, especially in terms of internet - perhaps this is the problem. I will be running a very quick Facebook training session with them next week wednesday to help them begin to use it.

Sorry to have to ask a stupid question but what is a voluntary assessment stamp?

They have also asked the Cape Town GMB for support in this regard. We met again yesterday and given the hassels we are having setting up a bank account here, we thought that it might be a good idea to use our subs to support CSAAWU untill we are able to get our account up and running. (Problems are all about the the SA security laws which require all our identy documents, proof of address from two of us, resolutions, constitutions etc. - we are working on it). Let me know if this would be okay with you?

Again, thank you for your support - and sorry to be asking stupid questions :-) 
Hope you are keeping well
Best
Mandy

Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 11:25:56 -0700
Subject: Re: CSAAWU
From: mr.kloker at gmail.com
To: mandymoussouris at hotmail.com

Fellow Worker Mandy,
I did discuss the continued support for CSAAWU with my branch and the International Solidarity Comission, both of which issued letters of support. I am also in process of creating a voluntary assessment stamp for members to support the CSAAWU ladismith Cheese campaign. I am confused as to why CSAAWU has not received these official communications. Please express my, the IWW's continued support for everything that they are doing. If there is something specifc that they or the Cape Town GMB needs, please do not hesitate to email me at mr.kloker at gmail.com.
Regards,
Kloker

On Fri, May 21, 2010 at 7:01 AM, Mandy Moussouris <mandymoussouris at hotmail.com> wrote:

Hi Dave,

Hope you and everyone there are keeping well. I use both your e-mails as I could not remember which one was the new one. 

We will be having another meeting this weekend - It is going to be a very long process getting the bank account, we need proof of address (of all members), identity documents, resolutions....bla...bla... Banks! But we will get it together ASAP.

CSAAWU popped in to see me today - they can't make the meeting on Sunday, but they asked me to follow-up on the letter they sent you regarding support for the campaign. Have you had a chance to discuss it?

Aluta Continua 
Mandy

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