COSATU feeling left out in the cold.

[Dave A]

I thought I was marginalised - try this one for size (Original story here)

Cosatu 'marginalised'
Cosatu's "ongoing marginalisation" by the tripartite alliance has aggravated unemployment and poverty, Zwelinzima Vavi says. Johannesburg - Cosatu's "ongoing marginalisation" by the tripartite alliance aggravated unemployment and poverty, Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi said on Wednesday.

Vavi told a news briefing in Johannesburg that the ANC-led alliance continued to marginalise some of its members in the policy-making process, particularly the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu).

"Cosatu has gained freedom to advance the needs of the working class, but the systematical marginalisation it suffers only leads to delayed progress relating to unemployment and poverty issues," Vavi said.

He criticised the African National Congress government for adopting policies which overlooked key poverty issues, focusing only on enriching the elite few.

He mentioned the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative, the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (Gear) policy and black economic empowerment in this regard.

"Today not only marks the 10th anniversary of Gear, but the 10 years of unemployment and poverty while the rich continue to get even richer," he said.

Dictatorship

"Cheap labour is reproduced in a form of sub-contracting and the exploitation of undocumented migrant workers," Vavi said.

He also warned that South Africa could be sliding towards a dictatorship if reports that some members of the ANC executive manipulated independent institutions like the national prosecuting authority (NPA) and the SABC were true.

"What is clear is that NPA does collaborate with elements in the media, wining and dining them to launch media trials and assassinate the character of targeted individuals.

"The perception also exists that the national intelligence agency and other state organs get deployed in the factional fights.

If it is true that these institutions are manipulated to settle political scores or interfere with free expressions, then we are in trouble," Vavi said.

Vavi's statements were drawn from the discussion document to be dealt with during Cosatu's annual congress to be held at Gallagher Estate in September.

I've got a question here:

How does COSATU's plans increase employment?
Their protectionist tactics seem to have the opposite effect.
They're certainly not doing much of a job to persuade business folk that employing more people is a good idea.

More like "Just what I need right now - more headaches"

Or am I missing the sheer genius of their approach?

[Marq]

"Cosatu has gained freedom to advance the needs of the working class"

What on earth does this mean? And how do we reconcile the working class with the unemployed and poor class?

I only have the same questions that you have and more so not going to be very helpful here.

I just hope that theres not too many people smoking the stuff that this guy smokes. If there are, its time to build a bunker and kit yourself out, for a while down there, while this bunch take each other on. The fallout is the problem because we will have to pick the pieces up.

The logic is the same that comes out of Mad Bob Mug abee and his merry men - they seem to have attended the same school with that cigar toting cuban. Theres a group spirit at work here that I dont think we will ever understand.

There is hope though -its called free enterprise and the capitalist system. I remember a Cosatu leader with the same bullshit attitude and illogical thoughts telling us that he was fighting for the poor and the masses. This was until he found out that he could afford Gucci suits and a did not have to wear a hat in his new role as the Premier of Gauteng.

[Marq]

On the news now - This guy has announced / suggested a political party alligning Labour, SACP, Left wing alliance and other liabilities on the left. The split from the anc has been coming for a while - like I said - build a cellar and make sure your stock of wine will last a while.

[Dave A]

I think if we combine this issue with Duncan's thread on labour issues we start to understand the problem.

COSATU's claim that they are the salvation of the unemployed is nothing less than cheap political propaganda - without any foundation in reality. Oh yes, there is one thing they are doing to help - fighting against immigrant employment. Locals only, boys and girls. But government is working on that one anyway.... as best they can given what they've got to work with right now.

COSATU may be heroes for the employed, but they are certainly no help for the unemployed and an absolute hinderance to real business growth. And where are the jobs going to come from anyway???? How does crippling business create jobs??

The sooner the ANC and COSATU get a divorce, the better. The ANC can get on with governing in the best interests of this country as a whole and COSATU can get back to the business of being a trade union. They can lobby government the same as the rest of us, and stop thinking that they have some special right to determine who governs this country.

This "trade union" left unchecked will strangle our country as surely as the trade unions were killing Great Britain's economy before Maggie Thatcher came along. Their obvious lack of understanding of what really creates jobs is blatantly obvious to all but themselves.

Or worse still - maybe they know that their actions don't really create jobs, but talking about it is good political spin. Which of course means that they are really a political animal in trade union clothing.

Our economic growth of the past years have been despite COSATU's efforts, not because of it. Or are we supposed to be grateful that they don't call a strike every day of the week - to "reduce unemployment" of course!

In fact, if the ANC has the balls to dump COSATU, (and give me equal citizenship with my black brothers), I might even vote ANC come next election.

[duncan drennan]

ARG! Just lost a massive post when I bumped some key that closed my browser!

Bugger! Will try again.

[duncan drennan]

COSATU's claim that they are the salvation of the unemployed is nothing less than cheap political propaganda - without any foundation in reality.

How does crippling business create jobs??

Or worse still - maybe they know that their actions don't really create jobs, but talking about it is good political spin. Which of course means that they are really a political animal in trade union clothing.

I suppose we need to ask the question, who's interests does the trade union serve?

On the one hand we have the labour force whos interests are supposed to be served, and on the other the the leaders of the trade union, who inevitably have political goals and their own agenda. Sure, not everyone is there to get their way, but as I'm sure you've all seen in life this trend does tend to appear.

On a more philosophical note...

On May Day I started wondering what the role of the labour force would be in the future. There wer world wide marches etc. to promote workers rights, but the question that kept popping into my head was what the place was for the labour force in the future, and whether they are operating out of a different paradigm.

I would say that trade unions and the likes are really an Industrial Age structure, whereas we are now in (or moving into) an Information Age. It is possible to make millions with just a computer and some good salesmanship.

So what happens in the future? Will the labour force dwindle in size? Does their paradigm allow them to create a place for themselves in the new paradigm?

Remembering back to my engineering philosophy course we discussed how an old paradigm literally had to die (the people supporting it at least) - essentially some people will continue to live their paradigm until they die.

What will happen to the labour force if they are not able to change the way they work? Technology gets faster and smarter everyday, moving us more towards the "ideal" of no staff, no stock.

Will there be a revolution (literally, think French revolution)? Is it possible to move away from this towards a better solution? How does capatilism find a way to avoid this? Is there a way that everyone can win?

(this turned out very differently from the lost post, but oh well)

[Dave A]

Just to agree with Duncan that there seems to be some sort of fundamental shift in the economic order of things under way when you look at global trends. The IT revolution is just part of it. Automation is improving in leaps and bounds.

An idle thought that crossed my mind - not quite as forward thinking as Duncan's new order society, but perhaps worth mentioning none the less:

Where do trade unions fit within a communist society?