COSATU targets one million members
. - the United Workers Union of South Africa (UWUSA). It presents itself as a movement sympathetic to free enterprise, denouncing "political unionism" and the "socialist" of COSATU, and opposing the withdrawal of foreign investment.
The Durban demonstrators carried a coffin with the name of COSATU written on it. The launch of UWUSA is the result of a clear wish to divide the Black workers' movement, and to block the development of its radicalization. It corresponds to the interests of a sector of Zulu small capitalists which has grown up as a result of the social differentiation among the oppressed during the last decades, and which has been the main beneficiary of the development of the "autonogovernment of the bantustans. The union is an attempt to turn certain prejudices against the united movement of the oppressed masses. A war machine against COSATU
Already this organization is being sponsored by institutions linked to North-American trade unionism the AFL-CIO. Moreover, on April 10, Simon Conco, the general secretary of UWUSA and member of pseudo-parliament of KwaZulu, went to the United States to obtain financial help from North American trade
The makeup of the leadership of UWUSA is quite indicative of the project of the union. According to the Weekly Mail of May 9, 1986, it contains several Zulu businessmen, and officials of Inkatha and certain municipal councils of Black townships.
Paradoxically, the only important defector from COSATU - the exleader of the North Natal Paper, Wood and Allied Workers Union (PWAWU), Mhlaba Gumede - is not a member of the executive. This is not surprising since UWUSA has received the support of certain bosses who are hoping to make it into a war machine
If it is difficult as yet to assess the impact of the founding of UWUSA less be noted that the participation in the respective public meetings organized for May not reflect in the least the relationship of forces.
Of the 70,000 people who were brought together Durban by UWUSA about 10,000 were the occupants of hostels for single workers and only several thousand more were workers. According to Jerry Ntombela, president of COSATU for North Natal 8 province, out of the 10,000 activists in - such as the municipal the union in this region only about 20 council of this township which had have joined UWUSA. Nevertheless, the decided to prohibit the meeting. This two main unions could find themselves very council, it so happens, contains competing to sign up the least well several important members of UWUSA. paid and presently unorganized sec- It is therefore far from apparent that UWUSA can build itself as a real union in the workplaces. This ground is already partially occupied in some Effectiveness of democratic sectors, and it must increasingly be organization so with the application of the resolutions of COSATU's founding conference. These provided for expanding
It is true that a number of those the union into areas which are presently organized by COSATU in the Natal unorganized, for example, agricultural region, and in sectors such as metal- and building workers, and the unifica workers and carworkers, are also tion of the components of COSATU affiliated to Inkatha. Even so, this into single-industry unions. S
The pace of the development of the success of UWUSA. On the level of the independent trade union move- 1S trade union organization in the work- ment in the workplaces will condition S places and the struggle for the work- its ability to resist both racist power ers' demands, it is these same union and attempts at division from Inkatha, members who in the last years have but also the place that it will occupy A had experience of the effectiveness of in future anti-apartheid mobilizations. democratic organization at the base The first test of this will be that of and in the shop stewards' anticipated for the and for the most part put their confi- anniversary of the Soweto revolt of dence in COSATU
Moreover COSATU has seen its In this context, the question of numbers increase by 30% since its union fusions to create a single union foundation last December, and today for each branch of industry, takes on it claims 650,000 members. a major importance. In this respect
A good example of the workers' some advances have been recorded. involvement in the ranks of COSATU All these fusions will prepare the W is without doubt a meeting on May 1 way for a strengthening of the union that was held in a township in North movement, as well as for a deepening Natal, which brought together 3,000 of its roots at the base, across the networkers in a zone situated in the heart work of shop stewards. At present of the traditional base of Inkatha. COSATU has set itself the objective of
What is more, this represents a real a million members by the end of 1986. challenge to the local institutions set Recent advances give hope that up by the regime and administered by objective will be achieved. Keeping 'law and order' in Johannesburg (DR)
UcU International Viewpoint 16 June 1986
SOUTH AFRICA
December figure.
COSATU's target of a million workers by the end of 1986 seems well within reach.
All these workers will be organized