Saftu is a game-changer

ALLOW me to comment on the successful April 25 national strike organised by the SA Federation of Trade Unions (Saftu). When this noble federation was launched in Johannesburg, I was over the moon and commented that it was not a Mickey Mouse federation. I also said it was prudent for those sweetheart federations and unions to just close shop because their days were numbered.

The expulsion of Numsa and Zwelinzima Vazi from Cosatu was indeed a blessing in disguise for the working class struggle. Vavi and Numsa benefited as well. No longer are they trapped in captured tripartite alliance politics, but are free, not needing to “speak in tongues” and mislead workers or waste their money. They will do away with dangerous class collaboration politics that destroy working class unity and strength.

The national strike makes a bold statement that Saftu’s leadership and affiliates are genuinely and unflinchingly committed to the cause of the workers and are walking their talk.

The fundamental demands of the national strike are straightforward:

● Stop Labour Relations Act amendments;

● Defend the constitutional right to strike;

● Reject the slave minimum wage of R20 per hour; and

● Yes to a R12 500 living wage.

One was not baffled or surprised by the reactionary statements of Fedusa, Cosatu and Nactu, casting aspersions on the motives of the strike, claiming Saftu is misleading workers and urging their member not to participate.

It stands to reason that these unions opposed the strike because they all signed the slave wage deal of R20 per hour. I don’t doubt they were under the spell of Ramaphoria when they ratified the socalled minimum wage. We rightly call it a slave wage salary. It’s clear these unions want to retain the working poor phenomenon with workers remaining in perpetual poverty.

The most important thing is the unity of working class as is preached and propagated by Saftu. I fully concur and support this as it is this unity that will deliver workers from capitalist bondage. Workers have nothing to lose in uniting. They won’t waste their monies anymore and secretly visit traditional healers hoping their poor working conditions will improve or wanting better positions. Once workers are conscious that their solid power relies on their unity, they can overturn bad working conditions overnight and change anything.

Sell-out unions and federations will have no room to operate because they will be exposed as charlatans and counterfeit Marxists. Their socialist platitudes will ring hollow.

The fundamentals of a trade union rest on the following principles;

● Worker democracy – the workers themselves are in full control of their organisation;

● The mandate – the leadership is mandate driven, they take a direct mandate from the workers on the shop floor; and

● Accountability – that leadership from time to time must account to the workers, not the other way around.

In simple terms, workers are the bosses of the worker leadership, they must be respected and in return respect will be reciprocated. I urge Saftu to invest heavily in development, to train shopstewards and organisers to serve the workers diligently, as opposed to being (weak) organisers sitting in their comfort zones, hence failing members. Training and more training should be compulsory.

The bosses are surely shivering now that Saftu is here. Rise Numsa! Rise Saftu, and free exploited workers of SA. — Lamla Gush, community activist, Mdantsane