Union on mission for ‘vulnerable workers’
Saftu declares Cosatu and ANC enemy of all democratic forces
NEWLY formed trade union federation – the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu) – vowed to campaign for representative collective bargaining, banning of outsourcing and to work hard to organise “vulnerable workers” such as taxi drivers and domestic workers.
On the last day of its founding congress in Boksburg delegates accused the ANC -led government of working with Cosatu to intimidate unions not affiliated to Cosatu.
Newly elected Saftu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said the efforts by some unions to frustrate Saftu’s affiliates’ rights to organise and exist should be resisted. Government, even at state-owned enterprises, was doing everything it could, “assisted by the sweetheart unions”, to undermine freedom of association, he said.
“We declare Cosatu together with the ANC government as the enemy of all the democratic forces… the enemy of all the independent unions,” Vavi told delegates. It was time to “out-organise corrupt unions”.
“Demawusa, (Democratic Municipal and Allied Workers’ Union of South Africa), victims of intolerance, were shown the door by Samwu (Cosatu affiliate the South African Municipal Workers’ Union) for pointing out corruption within Cosatu as well as Matusa (Municipal and Allied Trade Union of South Africa).
This congress must salute these unions that were kicked out (of Cosatu) for calling for clean governance. We wish them very well in their endeavour to out-organise those corrupt unions who are sweethearts of management,” he said.
Most of the unions at the conference were breakaway formations from Cosatu unions formed after dissatisfaction with the country’s biggest trade union federation. Demawusa and Matusa are breakaway unions from Samwu, while the National Transport Movement (NTM) broke away from the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), among others.Earlier, Vavi, a former Cosatu general secretary who was expelled from the federation, was nominated unopposed as Saftu general secretary. The other top nominations, also unopposed, were Mac Chabalala for president, Nomvume Ralalala as first deputy president, Thabo Matose as second deputy president, and Motswari Letshogo as treasurer.
Vavi and Numsa were at the forefront of the formation of Saftu, first mooted in 2015 by a group of trade unions that advocated for a “non-politically aligned and worker controlled” federation following the expulsion of Vavi and Numsa from Cosatu.
The Food and Allied Workers’ Union (Fawu) subsequently also left Cosatu in support of the expelled Vavi and Numsa MONDAY APRIL 24 2017 in 2016 and is now a Saftu affiliate. The union had been at odds with Cosatu since the expulsions, accusing the federation leaders led by S’dumo Dlamini of being biased against Numsa and Vavi.
Saftu is now the country’s fourth union federation after Cosatu, the Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa), and the National Council of Trade Unions (Nactu). Cosatu is still the biggest of the federations. – ANA