Report+on+COSATU+CEC,+June+29th+2005

Report on COSATU Central Executive Committee - June 29, 2005
COSATU CEC, which includes national officebearers of all its affiliated unions, met today primarily to assess the recent strike action for jobs and to prepare for the ANC National General Council (NGC), which meets tomorrow. COSATU has been asked to send 60 delegates to the NGC, a substantial expansion in its delegation compared to previous meetings.

Assessment of the strike
The mood was buoyant following what all unanimously agreed were brilliantly successful marches and strike action. Our success demonstrated one again that the vast majority of our people want far more urgent action to address the crises of unemployment, job losses, poverty and racism. It underscored the fact that solidarity remains a mainstay for workers across the country.

CEC noted that critical elements in the success of the action included the quality time dedicated by national leaders of COSATU unions, many of whom visited workplaces and talked to workers in the run-up to the strike. In addition, the logistic arrangements around transport proved helpful. Still, the main factor in our success was the enthusiastic support and unity of workers and their communities.

Unity in action went beyond COSATU members. We acknowledge and welcome the enthusiastic support the strike and marches received from workers who do not belong to COSATU, from independent unions, civil society formations including the faith-based organisations, the SACP, ANCYL, SACP, YCL, etc.

It will be important for COSATU and its affiliates to build on the success of the strike. In particular, mass support for the action provides a basis to improve service of members and taking up of individual and collective grievances of member. We must use the campaign to organise the unorganised across the country through our recruitment campaign. At the same time, the success of the strike points to the victories workers can make through militancy and strong links between union leaders and members. It points to the importance of close work with community organisations, NGOs and the mass democratic movement as a whole.

COSATU will be urging its public-service affiliates to speed up the process of developing minimum-service agreements for essential services. If the State as employer continues to obstruct this process, we will take the matter back to the essential services committee at NEDLAC.

The CEC noted that SACOB, the Minister of Public Service and Administration and parts of the media, especially SABC 1, tried to downplay the success of the strike.

The ideological bias of SACOB and some of the press is well known. Perhaps less well known is that SACOB has no consistent way to survey members on the impact of the strike. The fact that most mines, auto companies, retail chains and many factories admitted a substantial impact on their operations points to the fact that SACOB’s spokespeople were pursuing their political agenda at the cost of the facts.

We are concerned about the obvious bias from SABC 1, which is supposed to reflect the news objectively in the interest of the majority of our people. The CEC called for a direct interaction with the SABC management and board to correct this worrying trend. Should these engagements fail, the CEC will consider protest action against the SABC, including marches and a relaunch of the licence boycott.

Still, we appreciate the fact that much of the media, including SABC 2 and 3, provided strong and detailed coverage of the action. Many journalists visited workplaces to assess mobilisation and talked to participants to get their views.

The mobilisation of the past few months is already showing results. First, the rand has depreciated somewhat since the strike. Second, the taskteams for the clothing and mining industries will soon present strategies to address the structural crises of these industries. Third, some retailers have approached us and expressed willingness to sign the Code committing to 75% local procurement.

In this context, we call on our members to maintain their militancy, enthusiasm, and unity with the other forces of the democratic movement and progressive civil society. We need even greater mobilisation for the coming demonstrations and actions in July and August.

We call on business and government to come back to the table in good faith, prepared to go the extra mile to address the crisis of unemployment and poverty in our country.

Evaluation of position on ANC Deputy President
CEC reiterated its support for the ANC Deputy President. At the same time, it reaffirmed its belief that his innocence or guilt must be decided by the courts. COSATU will continue to fight corruption wherever it appears.

Preparation for ANC NGC
CEC will continue to develop responses to the NGC discussion documents in a caucus following the press conference. Its response will be circulated at the NGC and released to the press. CEC reaffirmed its resolve to fight any proposals to re-institute a dual labour market. If there is one thing that apartheid proved, it is that we cannot build the economy based on the outright exploitation of workers. The NGC discussion document suggests that a dual labour market would somehow overcome the dual economy. But workers’ experience under apartheid proves that dual labour laws entrench differences, discrimination and exploitation. The Freedom Charter explicitly argued for equal rights for all workers because of the impact of apartheid. Similarly, the Constitution guarantees that “Everyone shall have the right to fair labour practices,” including the right to organise unions and strike. It does not say that only older workers in urban areas shall have rights. This is precisely because it aimed to end apartheid practices.

Congress of South African Trade Unions 1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets Braamfontein, 2017 P.O.Box 1019 Johannesburg, 2000 South Africa Cell: 082 491 1591 Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24 Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940 E-Mail: paul@cosatu.org.za
 * Paul Notyhawa (Spokesperson)