precarious employment | Labour Research Service

Women’s Day through the eyes of Volunteer Food Handlers

The undervaluation of care work is used to justify precarious employment for women workers in the National School Nutrition Programme.

4 months ago

Aunty Bettie: a lifetime of fighting for women farm workers

by GroundUp farm workers / national minimum wage / organising / precarious employment / women's month / workers’ rights

“If you know your rights you can stand up for yourself.”

4 months ago

Unlocking the true value of women’s work in school nutrition

by Matshidiso Lencoasa and Nina Benjamin care work / gender equity / impact / National School Nutrition Programme / precarious employment / UIF benefits / volunteer food handlers / women's month

Recognising the work of the women who feed the learners in our communities is a powerful starting point in valuing care work in society.

5 months ago

Using technology to amplify voices and effect change

by Nelly Nyagah care work / digital activism / gender inequality / poverty / precarious employment / social protection / unemployment / women's month

Thabisile Miya, Coordinator at Amandla.mobi, shares her journey in digital activism, promoting economic justice, rights, and dignity for society’s most vulnerable.

1 year ago

Access denied | A woman worker’s struggle for social protection

by Zanele Chakela care work / informalisation / Power Up! Initiative / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers

This video shows the stark realities of Elizabeth and Lehlohonolo, two working-class people who face an extraordinary challenge – access to their UIF benefits.

1 year ago

VIDEO: A day in the life of Volunteer Food Handler

by Zanele Chakela care work / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers / vulnerable workers

We learn about the issues facing the workers who prepare and serve meals to learners under the National School Nutrition Programme through the eyes of Khuli Gumede, a Volunteer Food Handler in Gauteng.

1 year ago

Women’s human rights in the informal sector

by LRS discrimination / gender based violence / gender equality / informalisation / national minimum wage / precarious employment / social protection

This Women’s Month, we advocate for better protection of women’s rights, especially in the informal sector, and celebrate trade unions that are working to improve the lives of many.

1 year ago

VIDEO: Casual workers organise to claim their rights

by LRS organising strategies / precarious employment / vulnerable workers / women workers

Women casual workers talk about how they organised to fight for their right to permanent employment.

2 years ago

Volunteer Food Handlers advocate to have their jobs made visible, recognised, valued and remunerated

by Nelly Nyagah care work / informalisation / National School Nutrition Programme / Power Up! Initiative / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers

At a media conference on 29 March, food handlers spoke about their campaign for decent jobs for the more than 60,000 workers recruited by the National School Nutrition Programme to prepare and serve meals in schools countrywide.

2 years ago

Building a campaign to recognise and value the work of Volunteer Food Handlers

by Nina Benjamin care work / informalisation / National School Nutrition Programme / Power Up! Initiative / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers

The workers who cook meals for millions of learners across the country are classified as volunteers and paid a stipend. Recruiting workers as volunteers has become another way of pushing women into unrecognised and low-paid work.

2 years ago

How trade unions can support volunteer food handlers

by LRS care work / National School Nutrition Programme / Power Up! / precarious employment / trade union strategies / volunteer food handlers / women workers

As key players in the school community and in government consultative spaces, trade union activists can help to make visible the work of volunteer food handlers in the National School Nutrition Programme.

[PDF] Power Up Nutrition Series | Proteins

by LRS care work / National School Nutrition Programme / Power Up! / precarious employment / school nutrition / volunteer food handlers / women workers

The Power Up Nutrition Series comprises a set of eBooks exploring the links between food and nutrition. The eBooks can assist school communities and trade union activists looking to promote and support healthy nutrition and Volunteer Food Handlers in the National School Nutrition Programme.

[PDF] Power Up Nutrition Series | Salt – A thin line between the good and the bad

by LRS care work / National School Nutrition Programme / Power Up! / precarious employment / school nutrition / volunteer food handlers / women workers

The Power Up Nutrition Series comprises a set of eBooks exploring the links between food and nutrition. The eBooks can assist school communities looking to promote and support healthy nutrition and Volunteer Food Handlers in the National School Nutrition Programme.

[PDF] Power Up Nutrition Series | Sugar – A sweet poison

by LRS care work / National School Nutrition Programme / Power Up! / precarious employment / school nutrition / volunteer food handlers / women workers

[PDF] Volunteer Food Handlers: The hands and feet of the National School Nutrition Programme

by LRS care work / decent work / informalisation / National School Nutrition Programme / Power Up! / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers / women workers

The work of feeding millions of learners must be seen as work deserving of recognition, value and appropriate working conditions and salary.

2 years ago

Community members rally to support volunteer food handlers and a return to traditional nutrition in schools

by Zanele Chakela care work / community dialogue / decent work / National School Nutrition Programme / Power Up! / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers / women workers

What will it take to create collaboration among community stakeholders to advocate for the recognition and valuing of the work of volunteer food handlers?

2 years ago

How reclaimers bargain | Struggles and successes of a worker organisation

by LRS collective bargaining / informal economy / organising strategies / precarious employment / waste management sector

Louis Mahlangu, Organiser at African Reclaimers Organisation (ARO), speaks about the organisation’s collective bargaining experience. ARO is the first to unite workers in South Africa’s landfills and streets.

2 years ago

Volunteer Food Handlers are the hands and heart of the National School Nutrition Programme

by LRS decent work / National School Nutrition Programme / Power Up! / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers

The work of feeding millions of children must be seen as work deserving of recognition and value. We need decent jobs for volunteer food handlers.

2 years ago

Power Up! consortium intends to transform power in three key areas

by LRS decent work / Power Up! / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers

In South Africa, the Labour Research Service supports volunteer food handlers in the National School Nutrition Programme to have their jobs made visible, recognised, valued and remunerated. Know more.

3 years ago

Why it is necessary to support the National School Nutrition Programme and the work of the Volunteer Food Handlers

by LRS care work / National School Nutrition Programme / Power Up! / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers

The National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) is a government programme that alleviates poverty and ensures that children have the right to nutritious food that supports their ability to learn.

The Negotiator’s Guide Chapter 5 | A framework for negotiating conditions at work

by LRS collective bargaining agreements / labour laws / Negotiator's Guide / precarious employment / working conditions

A way to think about conditions at work in relation to the collective agreement, and the benchmarks in South Africa’s labour law to help you establish a floor of minimum conditions. A must-read for worker leaders in more informal workplaces that are looking to establish minimum standards.

3 years ago

Promoting the value of care work for a just and sustainable society

by LRS care work / gender equality / National School Nutrition Programme / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers / women workers / workers’ rights

Advocacy by a group of Volunteer Food Handlers in Gauteng for recognition and rights as workers under the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) can potentially catalyse a national movement and positively impact the lives of the women who cook and serve food to learners.

3 years ago

How does the family and school community value the role of volunteer food handlers in meeting the immediate need of feeding school children?

by Zanele Chakela care work / decent work / Power Up! / precarious employment / volunteer food handlers / women workers

Devalued, invisible, exploited and undermined, volunteer food handlers in the National School Nutrition Programme seek to be recognised and valued as workers.

3 years ago

What will it take to create pathways to women’s economic autonomy, resilience and stability?

by LRS care work / gender equality / organise / Power Up! / precarious employment / voluntary food handlers / women workers / workers’ rights

It’s time to Power Up! We need to build women’s voice and leadership and strengthen women-led movements to shift power and advance the rights of all women.

3 years ago

The role of Volunteer Food Handlers in the National School Nutrition Programme

by Nelly Nyagah care work / gender equality / organise / Power Up! / precarious employment / voluntary food handlers / women workers / workers’ rights

Through discussing issues close to their hearts, volunteer food handlers will see and articulate the important role they have in the National School Nutrition Programme and the school community.

5 years ago

Secure in insecurity: Organising workers in South Africa’s private security industry

by Nelly Nyagah collective bargaining support / organise / peer learning process / precarious employment

Amazing things can happen when a diverse group of worker representatives is given a safe space to be themselves. A safe space is good for learning, trying new roles and building solidarity.

5 years ago

Covid-19: The impact on small-scale fishers – A perspective from South Africa

by LRS collective bargaining support / Coronavirus / covid-19 / informal economy / precarious employment

How can workers in the small-scale fisheries industry be supported to thrive during the covid-19 pandemic and beyond?

5 years ago

COVID-19: Implications for waste reclaimers

by LRS collective bargaining support / Coronavirus / covid-19 / informal economy / precarious employment

The coronavirus pandemic has worsened the plight of waste reclaimers. Here’s how the government can support the workers helping to save up to R750m in potential landfill costs per year.

5 years ago

Covid-19 is locking down livelihoods

by Trenton Elsely collective bargaining support / Coronavirus / covid-19 / precarious employment / social dialogue / vulnerable workers

Support working class families in South Africa through the covid-19 pandemic.

5 years ago

How to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 crisis on informal sector workers

by LRS collective bargaining support / Coronavirus / covid-19 / informal economy / precarious employment

A network of organisations representing informal workers in South Africa wants the government to provide social and economic support to millions of workers in the informal sector amid covid-19.

5 years ago

Overlooked no more: Could this be the new reality for domestic workers in South Africa?

by Nelly Nyagah care work / COIDA / collective bargaining support / domestic workers / precarious employment

At the centre of a landmark court ruling last month was the rights of about a million domestic workers. Union leader, Pinky Mashiane (pictured, centre), says the road ahead is still long

6 years ago

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