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6 April, 2009The new leader of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa brings a long history of activism to combat old and new challenges.
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Text and photo / Alex Ivanou
In 1991, on only his second day at work, Irvin Jim's fellow workers at Firestone Tyres nominated him as their union representative. Irvin laughs as he recounts the shock of company management when a general meeting was called to elect the young rubber worker. Aged only 23, Irvin turned down the nomination that day but within three months had taken on the role of shop steward, and was well on the path to becoming one of South Africa's most senior trade unionists. In October 2008, Irvin was elected General Secretary at the Congress of the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA).
Despite his smiling manner, Irvin immediately conveys the impression of a person who has his own views and convictions and is ready to defend them. Irvin's rapid ascension within the union was assisted by the skills he gained as a student activist in South Africa's youth movement in the late 1980's. Following the fall of the apartheid regime in 1994, Irvin became the NUMSA regional chairperson for the Eastern Cape region. He was at that time the youngest member of the NUMSA Central Committee and remained Regional Secretary until his election to the leadership role last year.
The fight against the apartheid regime has been a central theme for both Irvin and the union he now heads. NUMSA was formed in 1987 as a result of a merger between four unions to unite different sectors into a single metalworkers' union. The IMF played a key role in the creation of the union and continues to work closely with NUMSA, which represents southern Africa at IMF Executive committee meetings.
"Politically and economically we've been a very fortunate country, a country that succeeded to win solidarity with the people of the globe," says Irvin. "The biggest challenge now is to ensure that the very same globe appreciates that the legacy of apartheid has not been dealt with."
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