THE Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Wednesday it would put aside internal conflicts in 2015, promising to continue "fearlessly exposing the exploiting bosses, corrupt politicians and incompetent officials, and winning better wages and working conditions".
SA’s largest labour federation usually briefs the media at the year’s end — but delivered its message in 2014 via statement on Wednesday. The lack of ceremony comes amid a great deal of uncertainty as to the future of the federation, after the expulsion of its then largest affiliate the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) in October
Cosatu said on Wednesday amid the crisis at Eskom, the incompetence of state officials, and exorbitant executive pay, 2014 had at least seen the issue of the minimum wage put firmly on the national agenda.
After the Numsa split, Cosatu national officials have come to see that the federation is in a state of "paralysis".
"We are absolutely determined to act decisively to combat practices which have recently led to disunity and divisions between us. We will continue to eradicate the new alien cultures of factionalism, rumour-mongering and character assassination which sadly afflict our movement and threaten to paralyse us," Cosatu said.
The federation would continue its fight against the privatisation of Eskom, even as the embattled utility struggled to keep the lights on, and would also seek to ensure that any implementation of the national minimum wage did not undermine sectoral bargaining, Cosatu said.
Last year, Cosatu’s year-end briefing had taken place as Numsa members met for a special national congress that resulted in resolutions that ultimately put them on a collision course with the federation — the most cited being the union’s decision to expand its scope and recruit any worker regardless of the sector.
Numsa continues to deny that "poaching" — a longstanding if underground practice within Cosatu — was sufficient justification for expulsion.
Numsa maintains its expulsion was unconstitutional and due to purely political reasons and is expected to continue pursuing the matter in court.
Picture: SUNDAY TIMES
THE Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) said on Wednesday it would put aside internal conflicts in 2015, promising to continue "fearlessly exposing the exploiting bosses, corrupt politicians and incompetent officials, and winning better wages and working conditions".
SA’s largest labour federation usually briefs the media at the year’s end — but delivered its message in 2014 via statement on Wednesday. The lack of ceremony comes amid a great deal of uncertainty as to the future of the federation, after the expulsion of its then largest affiliate the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) in October
Cosatu said on Wednesday amid the crisis at Eskom, the incompetence of state officials, and exorbitant executive pay, 2014 had at least seen the issue of the minimum wage put firmly on the national agenda.
After the Numsa split, Cosatu national officials have come to see that the federation is in a state of "paralysis".
"We are absolutely determined to act decisively to combat practices which have recently led to disunity and divisions between us. We will continue to eradicate the new alien cultures of factionalism, rumour-mongering and character assassination which sadly afflict our movement and threaten to paralyse us," Cosatu said.
The federation would continue its fight against the privatisation of Eskom, even as the embattled utility struggled to keep the lights on, and would also seek to ensure that any implementation of the national minimum wage did not undermine sectoral bargaining, Cosatu said.
Last year, Cosatu’s year-end briefing had taken place as Numsa members met for a special national congress that resulted in resolutions that ultimately put them on a collision course with the federation — the most cited being the union’s decision to expand its scope and recruit any worker regardless of the sector.
Numsa continues to deny that "poaching" — a longstanding if underground practice within Cosatu — was sufficient justification for expulsion.
Numsa maintains its expulsion was unconstitutional and due to purely political reasons and is expected to continue pursuing the matter in court.
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