It’s do or die for a shrinking and embattled Cosatu

HUNDREDS of workers falling under Cosatu’s banner are gathering for the 13th elective conference in Midrand this week.

The crucial meeting is taking place against the backdrop of the oncemighty federation haemorrhaging hundreds of thousands of members. The past three years have been characterised by debilitating infighting over workers’ money, among other issues.

Cosatu has lost more than 300 000 members since 2015, even after the expulsion of the National Union of Metalworkers. John Gomomo and Elijah Barayi’s federation is in big trouble.

Cosatu’s leaders will need to appreciate that they will need to introspect and reflect on its weaknesses, which have turned it into a shadow of its former self. It has no choice but to discuss the effect of the fights over resources.

The federation’s leaders are obsessing about how to influence service providers for self-enrichment instead of ensuring good working conditions for members. They have to discuss the debilitating effects the Fourth Industrial Revolution will have on the shop floor. The reality is that some employers want to use robots instead of human beings to maximise profit.

Cosatu also has to reflect on how it relates to ANC presidents and how the infighting in the governing party spills over into the federation and divides workers. Another elephant in the room is how its leadership has contributed to the federation’s decline.

While many unions, especially those in the industrial sectors, have lost thousands of members due to job cuts, the leadership of the federation’s affiliates are not without blame.

Outgoing Cosatu president S’dumo Dlamini admitted that some workers had lost confidence in a number of unions within the fold and left due to union leaders’ endless infighting over subscription money.

Yesterday, the South African Municipal Workers Union battled to enter the conference venue because it was not in good standing and, to make matters worse, it brought two sets of delegates from its parallel structures.

If the South African Transport and Allied Workers’ Union can lose more than 100 000 members – over 53% of its membership – within three years, it can be concluded that the federation is in danger of imminent destruction due to weakened affiliates.

This congress signifies a moment when Cosatu has to choose between life and death.