The 14th National Congress of Cosatu starting today is convened under the theme “Build working-class unity for economic liberation towards socialism”. This theme speaks to what the federation intends to achieve in this four-day session of the workers parliament, which is to develop ways of fostering worker unity and achieving economic emancipation for workers.
This congress is an opportunity for the federation to reflect and take measures that will ensure that it remains a social force for transformation, to prove that we remain a worker-controlled federation that is neither bureaucratic nor controlled by technocrats and experts.
The past three decades have seen a precipitous decline in the social position of the working class. The World Bank report that lists SA as the most unequal country in the world means that unions have to ask themselves: why is it that they have been incapable of shielding the workers and the working class from capitalist failures?
This 14th national congress is about doing an honest reflection on our strengths and shortcomings and then developing solutions to challenges that include a steady decline in the rate of unionisation, dire economic situation, the fragmentation and mushrooming of new trade unions.
Many commentators ask and routinely pass judgment on whether Cosatu remains relevant to workers and SA today.
The simple answer is, yes Cosatu remains as relevant to workers and society today as it was when it was founded by workers at the height of the struggle against apartheid in 1985.
Workers launched Cosathu as their defence against the barbaric conditions they faced in a society governed by racist laws and an economy that kept them impoverished.
Today workers remain under siege from an anemic economy, 46% unemployment, high levels of poverty and inequality, and a state rippled by corruption and austerity budget cuts and struggling to provide for its public servants. Cosatu and its affiliated unions can point with pride to significant victories.
Progressive laws have been pushed through parliament, including the National Minimum Wage Act that improved the wages of over 6-million workers, in particular farm workers and domestic workers. The Public Investment Corporation Act was amended to provide a pro-worker and developmental investment mandate, worker representation on the board and critical transparency and accountability mechanisms.
An Amendment Bill, which is now before parliament, will allow highly indebted workers limited access to their pension funds. Parliament will soon pass the Compensation of Injury on Duty Amendment Act, providing protection for 900 000 domestic workers.
Cosatu, working with government and business at Nedlac over the past three years, helped guide SA to navigate the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic.
Over R64bn was released from the UIF to over 5.5-million workers . Workers were engaged and mobilised to vaccinate, saving millions of jobs and lives. Measures were put in place to mitigate the spread of the pandemic, and 10-million unemployed persons have received the SRD Grant, a foundation for the Basic Income Grant.
The federation has worked with government and business to develop the Economic Recovery and Reconstruction Plan to stabilise and rebuild a battered economy, create jobs, dispense relief to the unemployed, ramp up local procurement and rebuild Eskom and other struggling SOEs.
We need decisive action to end exploitative and abusive practices, particularly intensifying the fight against gender-based violence, including at the workplace.
Workers will share ideas on the future of work and the just transition to a low-carbon economy .
In order to achieve all this, we need to work to strengthen our organisations and maintain our democratic values.
We intend to emerge from this congress stronger and more united than ever.
* Ntshalintshali is Cosatu general secretary.
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