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Cape Town - The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) will not expel the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa), its president Sidumo Dlamini said in Cape Town on Tuesday.
"The conduct of comrades is an invitation to Cosatu to expel them. That is what they are crying: 'expel us, expel us'. We are not going to expel them," he said at the joint National Education, Health, and Allied Workers' Union (Nehawu) shop steward council.
"Those members should never make a mistake of thinking Numsa is their own exclusive union. It belongs to Cosatu. It belongs to this progressive movement. Don't give them what they want."
Dlamini said he had written a letter to Numsa suggesting two dates to meet.
A meeting with it on Monday had not taken place as planned.
No begging
Dlamini said the purpose of meeting was not to beg Numsa to change its resolutions, but simply to ask the union how it planned to work with the congress.
Numsa held its own national special congress in December where it resolved not to support the ANC and called for President Jacob Zuma to resign following the controversy around his private home in Nkandla.
Last week, Numsa deputy general secretary Karl Cloete said it had to claim Cosatu back.
"If we fail... we may have no option than to start the formation of a new labour federation in this country," he said.
Numsa said at the time it would fight back if Cosatu wanted to expel it.
Act out
Dlamini said he knew his remarks would goad Numsa to act out.
"I know when I say this in public, they are going to do this thing even more. I am wearing a crocodile skin... no, I don't feel the pain."
Numsa and Cosatu have been at loggerheads since the trade union federation's general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi was suspended for having an affair with a junior employee last year, among other allegations.
The metalworkers union has also accused Cosatu of dragging its feet on holding a national special congress.
Last week, nine Cosatu affiliates held a news briefing also calling for a special congress, and for Vavi's reinstatement.
Respecting internal processes
Dlamini spoke out against those who had run to the media instead of respecting internal processes.
"You participate internally there, then when you feel defeated you go outside and you form yourself [in the media]," he said."You don't say that [you are a political authority of nine unions] and still hope to be belonging in an organisation that you love so much."
Dlamini advised all affiliates not to "out-organise" other unions and hope to remain intact."If you go and do that in another union, it may be that union that does the same to you at points where they know you are weakened."
He said members had an equal responsibility to defend Cosatu and remain united.
"All of us, let us respect internal processes of the federation. When decisions are taken at the central executive committee level, those decisions are binding to all of us."
