Congress of South African Trade Unions | |
 | |
| Founded | 30 November 1985; 39 years ago (1985-11-30) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Cosatu House 110 Jorissen Street Johannesburg Gauteng |
| Location |
|
| Members | 2,193,965 |
Key people | Zingiswa Losi, President Solly Phetoe, General Secretary |
| Affiliations | ITUC WFTU ICFTU-AFRO |
| Website | www.cosatu.org.za |
TheCongress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU orCosatu) is atrade union federation inSouth Africa. It was founded in 1985 and is the largest of the country's three main trade union federations, with 21 affiliated trade unions.[note 1][1]
On 30 November 1985, 33 unions met at theUniversity of Natal for talks on forming a federation of trade unions.[2] This followed four years of unity talks between competing unions and federations that were opposed toapartheid and were "committed to a non-racial, non-sexist and democratic South Africa." COSATU was officially established on 1 December 1985.[3][4] Among the founding unions were the affiliates of theFederation of South African Trade Unions (FOSATU),[5] the smallNational Federation of Workers,[6] and some independent unions, notably theNational Union of Mineworkers.Elijah Barayi was the organisation's first president andJay Naidoo the first general secretary.[2]
Several resolutions were passed at this first meeting that defined the aim of the federation and how the federation operates, namely:[2]
On 5–6 May 1987 a strike as part of COSATU's Living Wage Campaign was held coinciding with1987 General Election. More than 2.5 million workers took part in the stay-away. On 7 May 1987, in the early hours of the morning two bombs exploded near the support columns in the basement of the federation headquarters, COSATU House. The resulting damage caused the building to be declared unsafe.[2]
At the second national congress held from 14 to 18 July 1987, theFreedom Charter was adopted by the federation after the resolution was proposed by theNational Union of Mineworkers[2]
At the third congress held from 12 to 16 July 1989, a resolution was adopted that called on the members of COSATU to join a campaign of "sustained action" against apartheid, in the week leading up to the1989 General Election of South Africa.[7]
On 26 July 1989, COSATU, theUnited Democratic Front and theMass Democratic Movement, instigated the National Defiance Campaign, in which facilities reserved for whites were invaded, and organisation that had been banned by the state declared themselves 'unbanned'.[2]
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion. You can help byadding to it.(January 2023) |
The COSATU congress decided in 2012 to affiliate with theclass-struggle orientedWorld Federation of Trade Unions, while maintaining its membership within theInternational Trade Union Confederation.
During the 2016 Congress that was held in Durban, Michael Mzwandile Makwayiba, president of COSATU affiliate NEHAWU Michael Mzwandile Makwayiba was elected President of the World Federation of Trade Unions.
By 2012 the trade union had a total of 2,191,016 members and 20 affiliated unions.[8] Since then Cosatu experienced a large drop in membership partially due to a decline in affiliate membership numbers,[9] between 2015 and 2022 it lost over 416 000 members.[10]
The following unions were listed by COSATU as their affiliates:[11]
| Union | Abbreviation | Founded | Left | Reason not affiliated | Membership (1985)[14] | Membership (1993)[15] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amalgamated Black Workers' Union | ABWU | 1984 | 1986 | Merged into TGWU | 1,000 | N/A |
| Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers' Union of South Africa | ACTWUSA | 1987 | 1989 | Merged into SACTWU | N/A | N/A |
| Brick, Clay and Allied Workers' Union | BRICKAWU | 1987 | Merged into CAWU | 748 | N/A | |
| Cape Town Municipal Workers' Association | CTMWA | 1928 | 1987 | Merged into SAMWU | 11,097 | N/A |
| Chemical Workers' Industrial Union | CWIU | 1974 | 1999 | Merged into CEPPWAWU | 20,700 | 41,462 |
| Cleaning Services and Allied Workers' Union | CSAWU | Merged into TGWU | 850 | N/A | ||
| Commercial and Distributive Workers' Union | CDWU | 1,600 | N/A | |||
| Construction and Allied Workers' Union | CAWU | 1987 | 2001 | Merged into NUM | N/A | 24,300 |
| Food and Allied Workers Union | FAWU | 1986 | 2016 | Disaffiliated | N/A | 121,534 |
| Food and Canning Workers' Union | FCWU | 1941 | 1986 | Merged into FAWU | 26,455 | N/A |
| General and Allied Workers' Union | GAWU | 1980 | 1987 | Merged into NEHAWU | 19,076 | N/A |
| General Workers' Union | GWU | 1977 | 1986 | Merged into TGWU | 20,000 | N/A |
| General Workers' Union of South Africa | GWUSA | 1981 | 1987 | Dissolved | 2,905 | N/A |
| Health and Allied Workers' Union | HAWU | 1987 | Merged into NEHAWU | 1,111 | N/A | |
| Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union | HARWU | 1926 | 1990 | Merged into SACCAWU | N/A | |
| Institute of Public Servants | IPS | N/A | N/A | |||
| Liberated Metalworkers' Union of South Africa | LIMUSA | 2015 | 2021 | Merged into NUM | N/A | N/A |
| Metal and Allied Workers' Union | MAWU | 1973 | 1987 | Merged into NUMSA | 38,789 | N/A |
| Motor Assembly and Component Workers' Union of South Africa | MACWUSA | 1982 | 1987 | Merged into NUMSA | 3,100 | N/A |
| Municipal Workers' Union of South Africa | MWUSA | 1982 | 1987 | Merged into SAMWU | 9,249 | N/A |
| Musicians Union of South Africa | MUSA | 1994 | 2014 | Merged into CWUSA | N/A | N/A |
| National Automobile and Allied Workers' Union | NAAWU | 1980 | 1987 | Merged into NUMSA | 20,338 | N/A |
| National General Workers' Union of South Africa | NGWUSA | 1984 | 6,037 | N/A | ||
| National Iron, Steel and Metal Workers' Union | NISMAWU | 1980 | 1986 | Merged into MAWU | 976 | N/A |
| National Post Office and Allied Workers' Union | NAPAWU | 2,163 | N/A | |||
| National Unemployed Workers Co-ordinating Committee | NUWCC | 1987 | 1991 | Dissolved | N/A | N/A |
| National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa | NUMSA | 1987 | 2014 | Expelled[16] | 100,000 | 253,796 |
| National Union of Printers and Allied Workers | NUPAWO | 1984 | 1987 | Merged into PPWAWU | N/A | |
| National Union of Textile Workers | NUTW | 1973 | 1987 | Merged into ACTWUSA | 23,241 | N/A |
| Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union | PPWAWU | 1974 | 1999 | Merged into CEPPWAWU | 11,856 | 37,951 |
| Performing Arts Workers' Equity | PAWE | 2014 | Merged into CWUSA | N/A | N/A | |
| Post and Telecommunication Workers' Association | POTWA | 1986 | 1996 | Merged into CWU | N/A | 23,081 |
| Retail and Allied Workers' Union | RAWU | 1984 | 1986 | Merged into FAWU | 3,830 | N/A |
| South African Agricultural Plantation and Allied Workers Union | SAAPAWU | 1995 | 2004 | Merged into FAWU | N/A | N/A |
| South African Allied Workers' Union | SAAWU | 1978 | 1987 | Merged into NEHAWU | 25,032 | N/A |
| South African Domestic Workers' Association | SADWA | 1981 | 1986 | Merged into SADWU | 4,500 | N/A |
| South African Domestic Workers' Union | SADWU | 1986 | 1998 | Dissolved | N/A | 16,172 |
| South African Football Players Union | SAFPU | 1997 | 2016 | Disaffiliated | N/A | N/A |
| South African Mineworkers' Union | SAMWU | 1983 | 1987 | Dissolved | 3,029 | N/A |
| South African Railways and Harbours Union | SARHWU | 1936 | 2000 | Merged into SATAWU | 8,220 | 41,081 |
| South African Scooter Transport and Allied Workers' Union | SASTAWU | 1981 | 1986 | Merged into TGWU | 4,700 | N/A |
| South African State and Allied Workers' Union | SASAWU | 2000 | 2015 | Disaffiliated | N/A | N/A |
| South African Textile and Allied Workers' Union | SATAWU | 1984 | 1988 | Merged into GAWU | 1,900 | N/A |
| South African Tin Workers' Union | SATWU | 1937 | 581 | N/A | ||
| Sweet, Food and Allied Workers' Union | SFAWU | 1974 | 1986 | Merged into FAWU | 19,596 | N/A |
| Transport and General Workers' Union | TGWU | 1973 | 2000 | Merged into SATAWU | 11,000 | 38,036 |
| United Mining, Metal and Allied Workers of South Africa | UMMAWOSA | 1983 | 1987 | Merged into NUMSA | 8,335 | N/A |
On 8 November 2014,Irvin Jim, the general secretary of the largest COSATU affiliate,[17] theNational Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), announced that the union had been expelled from the COSATU after a vote at a special central executive committee had been convened resulting in a 33–24 vote in favour of the expulsion.[16][18] NUMSA was charged with violating the constitution of COSATU[19]
On 6 November 2014, an urgent legal application by NUMSA to prevent the special central executive committee from being convened was postponed by South Gauteng High Court, thus allowing the meeting to take place.[20]
On 10 November 2014, 7 unions announced they were voluntarily suspending their participation in COSATU's decision-making bodies due to the expulsion of NUMSA and called for a special national congress to be convened.[1]
Irvin Jim described the expulsion as "a dark day for workers".[17]
COSATU is part of an alliance with theANC and theSouth African Communist Party, called the "Tripartite Alliance". COSATU's role in the alliance has been the subject of debate, since the organisation has been critical of some of the ANC government's policies. While some affiliates have argued for greater independence from the ruling political party, others have argued that the arrangement gives COSATU a political influence beneficial to its members."[21]
South Africa has one of the largestincidence of HIV/AIDS in the world, with a 2005 estimate of 5.5-million people living with HIV – 12.4% of the population.[22][23] In 2020, around 20.6-million people in eastern and southern Africa were living with HIV.[24] The trade union movement has taken a role in combating this pandemic. COSATU is a key partner in theTreatment Action Campaign (TAC), a registered charity and political force working to educate and promote understanding about HIV/AIDS, and to prevent new infections, as well as push for greater access toantiretrovirals. In 1998, COSATU passed a resolution to campaign for treatment. "It was clear to the labour movement at that time that its lowest paid members were dying because they couldn’t afford medicines", says Theodora Steel, Campaigns Coordinator at COSATU. "We saw TAC as a natural allyin a campaign for treatment. We passed a formal resolution at our congress to assist and build TAC.[25]
Notwithstanding the formal alliance of COSATU with the ruling ANC party, it has been at odds with the government, calling for the roll-out of comprehensive public access to antiretroviral drugs.[26]
Abahlali baseMjondolo offered a strong statement of support to the 2010 Public Sector Worker's strike.[27]
The wheel in the logo represents the economy. The gold colour of the wheel represents the wealth of the country. The figures pushing the wheel, consisting of two men and a woman carrying a baby, represent the challenges that workers face namely, racial and gender oppression as well as economic exploitation. These figures are black as they represent the black majorities struggle against racial oppression. The figures are holding a red flag that represents the working class.[28]
The slogan on the logo is "An injury to one is an injury to all" signifies the vision the union has of social solidarity that binds the working class.[28]
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2010) |
In October 2004 and February 2005 COSATU sent delegations toZimbabwe to judge conditions in that country before the2005 Zimbabwe parliamentary elections. They were expelled from the country on both occasions.
COSATU has arranged protests and border blockades against the regime inHarare.
In 2016, COSATU voiced support for #ThisFlag protestors in Zimbabwe, stating "heavy-handedness of the Zanu-PF regime in dealing with perceived enemies was similar to that of Operation Restore Order/Murambatsvina in 2005."[29]
In 2020, COSATU voiced their solidarity with Palestinian peoples on 15 May (Nakba Day) and have linked the Palestinian right to land to COSATU's struggle against apartheid in South Africa.[30][31] In 2021 Palestinians protested against an Israeli court ruling which stated that residents ofSheik Jarrah need to be evicted from their homes in Jerusalem.[32] Israeli troops attackedAl-Aqsa duringRamadan, a holy month for many Palestinians. COSATU marched to theUS Embassy in Sandton, Johannesburg as a show of support for Palestinians, stating that the US government needs to recognize the sovereignty of Palestine as well as the gross human rights violations against Palestinians.[33]
National Office Bearers:[34]
Provincial Secretaries:[35]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| Other | |
.jpg)
