Numsa pushes ahead with new federation

METAL workers union Numsa is in talks with Afrikaner trade union Solidarity to form a new federation to rival Cosatu.

Numsa bosses yesterday announced the union was formally breaking ties with Cosatu and would no longer appeal its expulsion at the federation ’ s congress later this month.

They said the union, which dumped the ANC and SA Communist Party in December 2013, would drop its court challenge to go back to Cosatu.

Numsa general secretary Irvin Jim said his union was speaking to the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, and federations National Council of Trade Unions and Federation of Unions of SA.

Nine unions supporting Numsa in Cosatu and its expelled general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi were being persuaded to leave Cosatu.

“We have the bulk of workers in this country who are completely not organised. We are going to champion a recruitment programme.

“Nactu, Fedusa, should I say Solidarity too. All those unions are being engaged. In fact we have received a request for a meeting with Solidarity, ” Jim said after the union’s national executive meeting at the weekend.

Solidarity CEO Dirk Hermann confirmed that his union has met Numsa more than once to discuss starting a new federation.

“We have had more than one informal discussion on this. But we haven’t made [any] commitment.”

The two unions – which cater for traditionally different constituencies – had a lot in common, he said.

But Numsa would have a tough act convincing other Cosatu unions to follow it.

The Food and Allied Workers Union general secretary Katishi Masemola said leaving the alliance would not be easy.

He said they would use the Cosatu congress to fight for the reinstatement of Vavi and Cosatu. – George Matlala