Numsa makes its mark!Many of the resolutions were sponsored by Numsa so one would expect a lot of jumping up and down by Numsa representatives to motivate their positions.However, what separated Numsa from the other affiliates was the number of delegates that stood up to motivate Numsa’s viewpoints. During the Numsa caucus on the Sunday before the congress started, delegates broke into groups where ‘strikers’ who were going to speak prepared their arguments to put forward to congress delegates.Numsa’s Western Cape chairperson, Christine Olivier, explains how it worked:”I’m very impressed with all the comrades who took part in the discussions. For me this was very good. “I did not see the big guns running the show on behalf of Numsa, but the “klein vissies” going out there and putting the Numsa view on issues.”And then of course all the WOMEN, how can one forget that. On Tuesday, five women took to the floor, being very, very nervous, they did their thing as well.”I salute them! I think you did everyone proud.”Viva to the steel that cannot bend!”
Socio-economic resolutionsJobs and poverty to be the focus
The focus of Cosatu’s campaigns over the next three years will be the “Jobs and poverty campaign”. It will work with other like-minded organisations to demand: a living wage* fair trade with trade agreements not leading to job losses and not undermining the capacity of developing countries to build a strong economic base* 2010 World Cup to be developmental with quality jobs being created* the support of Proudly South African campaign* a planned economy* the state to provide:- a living unemployed benefit, – permanent quality jobs in the public service.Congress also
called for the nationalisation of key industries that used to belong to the state like Sasol, as well as the mines, the banks and telecommunications. A farmworkers’ campaign will focus on the plight of these workers and try and improve their living and working conditions.Cosatu’s existing BEE resolution was beefed up with the addition of the call for a Charter of Worker Rights that will ensure at least the payment of a living wage, trade union rights as well as advanced health and safety practices for workers employed in BEE companies. BEE codes must give more points to cooperatives
as well as skills development and training for lower paid workers. All sectors, including multinational companies in those sectors, should go through an empowerment charter process where everyone including labour is fully consulted. On trade policy, delegates warned government to continue to block agreements in the WTO that would detrimentally affect the government’s ability to implement policy, like tariffs, that help to develop and diversify an economy. Government’s quota agreement between China and South Africa should be extended to other sensitive sectors like the tyre industry and electronics.Delegates came down hard on the growing police brutality
during strikes and resolved to engage government on new methods of crowd control. Members of the police must adhere to the code of good practice on police conduct during strikes and pickets.On Nedlac, the congress resolved to improve its participation and circulation of information around the tripartite body. Cosatu will table a framework agreement at Nedlac on the 2010 world cup. Such an agreement will try to ensure that workers, the poor and rural people have access to matches at a discounted rate, with companies releasing their workers to attend matches; volunteers will be paid so as to provide jobs for the unemployed.
Organisational resolutions referred elsewhere
Only a few organisational resolutions were discussed. The rest were referred to the next CEC after the congress or to the education conference.Congress admitted to poor support by fellow affiliates for workers that are on strike. It resolved to improve solidarity through better communication between affiliates and by establishing a campaigns committee. It also urged affiliates to set up their own strike funds to support workers on strike.On HIV/Aids, delegates resolved that Cosatu and its affiliates should communicate with 100 000 workers a month around the illness, it should train 20 000 peer educators annually and work to make HIV become accepted like other medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension and asthma. It urged the minister of health to “call for urgent action to produce drugs believed to be active against XDR TB” and to get assistance from bodies like the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Leading from behind!Jenny Grice
Seated at centre back in the congress, Numsa might be leading from behind, but just like the last congress, when it comes to the male-female congress breakdown, Numsa is failing dismally. Overall 61% of the congress is made up of men while 39% are women. Amongst individual affiliates, Sactwu is the leader with 60% of their delegation women, followed by Nehawu with 49%, Denosa 47% and fellow nursing affiliate Sadnu with 46%. Even a male dominated sector like Satawu still managed to ensure that a third of its delegation was composed of women.Just failing to get 30% is Fawu while Numsa scored a “˜G’ (or is it an “˜H’!) with 22%. But just like last time, Numsa is not alone! Just behind Numsa is Num with 19% of its delegation women.However both poor performers would argue that their gender breakdown merely reflects their actual male-female membership in a male-dominated sector. But congress was having none of this. In terms of a new resolution adopted, “male dominated sectors” must “vigorously” address gender discrimination and “implement” equity plans. Capacity building programmes must “remove the stereotypes of indoctrination of the past and debate the issues of patriarchy and stereotypes within our structures”.By the next congress “an assessment must be done regarding achieving balanced gender representation taking into account the proportion of women members in the union.”So Numsa, be warned – your gender breakdown will be checked yet again in the next congress!