Editorial | Tough choices for Cosatu congress: Trade unions must deal with disillusionment and discontent among their members, whose vigour for united mass action has diminished
As Cosatu launches its congress tomorrow, it should start with introspection and acknowledgment that it is no longer the giant of yesterday. However, it is not alone in this, as most unions globally face the spectre of losing members, retrenchments, and new and different workplaces which their members must adjust to.
A recent “total shutdown against economic conditions” organised by trade unions was, in fact, a total flop as they failed to draw the numbers to their protests. Trade unions must deal with disillusionment and discontent among their members, whose vigour for united mass action has diminished. We hope these are some of the factors that Cosatu delegates will grapple with.As they do at every conference, the delegates must also ask whether their association with the governing party as part of the tripartite alliance is a concept that benefits their members.
Cosatu itself has said that critical discussions will be ones centred on the effects of a stagnant economy, the changing nature of work and the need to invest in workers to prepare them for changing work environments. These are all important, including recent proposals for a four-day work week and the implications thereof for workers. We also hope they will discuss the current energy crisis, which has been building up for years, with no apparent end in sight. Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe is a former Cosatu leader, and the federation should be using its proximity to power to influence long-term solutions.In times of uncertainty you need journalism you can trust.
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