2006-05-05Staff Report 2 "I was surprised to read the article, ""Watershed for NUNW"" in the New Era of 28 April 2006. I was quoted several times, based on a brief interview that took place on 27 April. It is very unfortunate that our openness to the media was rewarded by several misrepresentations in the article. I thus hope that you will grant me space to correct them. At no point did I indicate that it did not matter who was elected at the NUNW congress - quite the contrary! It is essential that an organisation like the NUNW has a dedicated and competent leadership that can advance the workers' cause successfully. ÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ºIt is also important that the election process is fair so that the results are a true reflection of the workers' choice. Furthermore, the article wrongly quotes me as saying that the NUNW has ""faired poorly"" over the years while I never made such a statement. ÃÆ'Æ'ÀÃ...ÃÆ''šÃ‚ºEven the section of the article dealing with my comments on workersÃÆ'Æ'ÂÂÃÆ'ÂÀÃ...¬ÃÆ'... control over their unions does not accurately reflect what I said. I had pointed out that inner-union democracy based on mandates from and report-back to members is crucial for a vibrant labour movement. It is against this background that the NUNW congress is an important platform for workers to debate critical issues and to chart a way forward. It is my sincere hope that journalists will carry out their work with greater care and professionalism. Perhaps the use of tape recorders might assist to report more accurately. While I do not mind being quoted - even on controversial issues - I expect the quotes to reflect what I actually said. Thank you. Herbert Jauch LaRRi" 2006-05-05Staff Report 2
