A new union expected to challenge the dominance of the ANC-aligned Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), is preparing its formation.
It will be called the Public Service Unions of South Africa (PSUSA) and plans to organise all civil servants under one union.
It is the brainchild of disgruntled Cosatu-aligned leaders, including former South African Democratic Teachers’ Union boss Thobile Ntola.
Ntola confirmed they were in the process of forming a new union.
A number of Eastern Cape unionists, many with strong links to the ANC, are known to be behind its formation, which is currently in the process of being registered.
Several high-level meetings will be held this weekend to finalise and give shape to the union, Ntola said.
The union has, however, already started recruiting members from within the ranks of Cosatu.
“We are still consulting, and talking to smaller organisations within Cosatu. We are looking at what the implications are. We are busy discussing what we are going to do,” Ntola said.
A senior Sadtu leader in the Eastern Cape, who asked to remain anonymous, said while there was consensus on the formation of the union, they were still discussing whether the new union should take the shape of a federation – like Cosatu – and allow smaller unions to join as affiliates.
“We have not agreed whether the union will be an umbrella body for other unions or what. But others are pushing ahead and want the union launched as in yesterday,” the source said.
The union’s main supporters will come from disgruntled Cosatu affiliated unions in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, North West, Gauteng and the Free State.
The decision to register the new formation was taken at a “Workers Forum” in Johannesburg last weekend.
The Dispatch understands the majority of the members of the nine unions which championed the campaign to reinstate Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, when he was suspended after admitting to having an affair with a junior official, were supportive of the union.
The unions, which went to court to have Vavi reinstated, are the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU), Democratic Nurses Union of South Africa (Denosa), the Food and Allied Workers' Union (Fawu), Public and Allied Workers’ Union of South Africa (Pawusa), South African Commercial and Catering Workers’ Union (SACCW), South African Football Players’ Union (Safpu), South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) and the South African State and Allied Workers Union (Sasawu).
Ntola said they decided to register the union after they heard plans by Cosatu’s central executive committee (CEC) to fire Vavi and expel Numsa from Cosatu at Tuesday’s meeting.
The meeting did not take place and has now been shelved for October 21.
“Tuesday’s CEC decisions would have been the final nail in the coffin for all of us to move out of Cosatu.
“We are saying if you fire Vavi and Numsa from Cosatu, that would have forced us to go back to our branches to ask them if it was worth it to fight from within.
“We want the CEC to set the tone so that we can act,” said another source, close to the developments.
Ntola confirmed they would wait for Cosatu’s leadership meeting on Tuesday to pronounce of the future of Vavi and Numsa before making their plans known.
He said if Vavi was fired and Numsa expelled “we are going to launch another union which will house all workers in the public sector to organise everyone in the public sector”.
The onslaught against the ANC and its alliance partners does not end there.
News of the new union came as Numsa announced it would unveil its first United Front (UF) branches this weekend.
UF is a political vehicle which will be used by Numsa to test the political space on whether or not the time is right to launch a workers’ political party to contest power.
Yesterday Numsa spokesman Castro Ngobese announced that UF branches would be launched in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Mpumalanga today.
This is in line with Numsa’s special national congress decision last December to establish a UF to work with unions and civic organisation in championing workers’ struggles.
The Eastern Cape’s first UF branch launch will be held at the Braelyn Hall in East London this morning.
New union to challenge Cosatu
It will be called the Public Service Unions of South Africa (PSUSA) and plans to organise all civil servants under one union.
It is the brainchild of disgruntled Cosatu-aligned leaders, including former South African Democratic Teachers’ Union boss Thobile Ntola.
Ntola confirmed they were in the process of forming a new union.
A number of Eastern Cape unionists, many with strong links to the ANC, are known to be behind its formation, which is currently in the process of being registered.
Several high-level meetings will be held this weekend to finalise and give shape to the union, Ntola said.
The union has, however, already started recruiting members from within the ranks of Cosatu.
“We are still consulting, and talking to smaller organisations within Cosatu. We are looking at what the implications are. We are busy discussing what we are going to do,” Ntola said.
A senior Sadtu leader in the Eastern Cape, who asked to remain anonymous, said while there was consensus on the formation of the union, they were still discussing whether the new union should take the shape of a federation – like Cosatu – and allow smaller unions to join as affiliates.
“We have not agreed whether the union will be an umbrella body for other unions or what. But others are pushing ahead and want the union launched as in yesterday,” the source said.
The union’s main supporters will come from disgruntled Cosatu affiliated unions in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape, North West, Gauteng and the Free State.
The decision to register the new formation was taken at a “Workers Forum” in Johannesburg last weekend.
The Dispatch understands the majority of the members of the nine unions which championed the campaign to reinstate Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, when he was suspended after admitting to having an affair with a junior official, were supportive of the union.
The unions, which went to court to have Vavi reinstated, are the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU), Democratic Nurses Union of South Africa (Denosa), the Food and Allied Workers' Union (Fawu), Public and Allied Workers’ Union of South Africa (Pawusa), South African Commercial and Catering Workers’ Union (SACCW), South African Football Players’ Union (Safpu), South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) and the South African State and Allied Workers Union (Sasawu).
Ntola said they decided to register the union after they heard plans by Cosatu’s central executive committee (CEC) to fire Vavi and expel Numsa from Cosatu at Tuesday’s meeting.
The meeting did not take place and has now been shelved for October 21.
“Tuesday’s CEC decisions would have been the final nail in the coffin for all of us to move out of Cosatu.
“We are saying if you fire Vavi and Numsa from Cosatu, that would have forced us to go back to our branches to ask them if it was worth it to fight from within.
“We want the CEC to set the tone so that we can act,” said another source, close to the developments.
Ntola confirmed they would wait for Cosatu’s leadership meeting on Tuesday to pronounce of the future of Vavi and Numsa before making their plans known.
He said if Vavi was fired and Numsa expelled “we are going to launch another union which will house all workers in the public sector to organise everyone in the public sector”.
The onslaught against the ANC and its alliance partners does not end there.
News of the new union came as Numsa announced it would unveil its first United Front (UF) branches this weekend.
UF is a political vehicle which will be used by Numsa to test the political space on whether or not the time is right to launch a workers’ political party to contest power.
Yesterday Numsa spokesman Castro Ngobese announced that UF branches would be launched in the Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Mpumalanga today.
This is in line with Numsa’s special national congress decision last December to establish a UF to work with unions and civic organisation in championing workers’ struggles.
The Eastern Cape’s first UF branch launch will be held at the Braelyn Hall in East London this morning.
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