COSATU:some good muscle at times!

[Citizen X]

Love them or hate them they still an important role to play in our country!
1. In 2008, Mugabe was openly oppressing the MDC.I recall the MDC leader appeared on T.V with blue eyes, badly ruffed up by Mugabe’s men. The official response from Mugabe’s people was that he ‘deserved it!” Mugabe placed a huge order of weapons from China. A ship carrying 77 tons of weapons was headed for Zimbabwe. COSATU heeded a call not to allow such weapons to reach China and subsequently gave instructions to all its members to throw those boxes in the ocean when it arrived at their dock!It used its muscle with its transport affiliate SATAWU to achieve this;
2. Etolling:”Spokesperson Patrick Craven said in the federation’s Workers’ Day statement that the postponement of the R20-billion e-toll project was “a direct product of the workers’ power and sacrifices”, “We call upon government rather to prioritise the roll-out of efficient, reliable, affordable and safe public transport for all the people of South Africa,” Craven said.”
So on matters such as these they have demonstrated that they will use their muscle positively in the best interests of South Africans. They just need to maintain discipline over their striking members. We need to demonise damage to property and violence during strikes. They could become the true heroes of South Africans if they can just prevent their members from damaging property and harming non striking members. I recall that during the security guard strike, many non striking members were murdered.

[Phil Cooper]

Government is looking at making it necessary for COSATU to BALLOT its members in favour/against striking in future.

If majority NOT in favour, then NO strike.

At the moment, as few as 20% have been in favour, but they picket and threaten violence against the others when they arrive to work - forcing them to follow the Minority lead.

That was one way Maggie broke the UK Unions.

[Citizen X]

It's the infringement of others rights that worrying for me! If COSATU can just reign its members in, we'll have such a positive force to reckon with that will champion our cause. Look at etolling, the ANC(though, they now allude to being a NGO) had to listen to what COSATU had to say, a very positive sign. China, one of the most powerful millitary foces on this planet had to take COSATU seriously when they said, we'll throw your boxes of weapons in the oceans, our members unpack those boxes at the docks!!!!Even Mugabe himself realised that his weapons were not going to arrive, courtesy of COSATU. I'm actually more for the cause of the proletariat than I am for the cause of the employer. When I say employer, I mean corporate South Africa. I’, referring to the ABSA’s of our country who by the stroke of a pen can unilaterally destroy someone’s life...

[Dave A]

Look at etolling, the ANC(though, they now allude to being a NGO) had to listen to what COSATU had to say, a very positive sign.

Oh what BS. It took a business consortium (essentially the vehicle rental industry) to stop eTolling, and they had to go to court to do it. For all their protest action, COSATU had received nothing but lip service from government who were patently going full steam ahead despite all the protests.

It's the infringement of others rights that worrying for me.

And rightly so! COSATU's infringement on individual rights, including those of their own members (claimed justified as being in the interests of the members or denied) is an absolute travesty.

A ballot requirement before a strike sounds like a very good idea! It had better be a secret ballot though, and properly conducted.
Certainly worth a try. Unions are way to keen to strike. Strikes should be a last resort, not an early gambit.