Labour Wrap: What goes around, comes around

Cape Town - There is nothing really new in the fractious tragi-comedy being played out on the Cosatu stage, says Terry Bell in his latest Labour Wrap. He points out that several unionists have remarked cynically that what is happening is a case of what goes around, comes around; examples of poetic justice.

These remarks, says Bell, stem from the involvement of Cosatu’s embattled general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi and the co-starring National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa) cast in the same sort of machinations they are now experiencing. He admits that Vavi was a leading figure in supporting the “Zuma tsunami” and played a central role in the unceremonious axing of former Cosatu president Willie Madisha.

Numsa and its general secretary Irvin Jim and deputy Karl Cloete have also in the past indulged in the same sort of bureaucratic manipulation they are now suffering. Hopefully, however, lessons have been learned.

What is new, Bell says, is the move and demand for a union-backed socialist or labour party and talk of the need to visit Bolivia for advice. But he maintains there are good lessons to be learned from the two countries to the north of us: Zimbabwe and Zambia.

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Both had union movements that initially supported pro-independence and liberation movements and both initiated political parties that challenged the post-liberation status quo. Today, the labour movements in both countries are mere shadows of their former selves.

According to Bell, one of the problems within the labour leadership is the apparent unwillingness to understand the real nature of trade unions and trade unionism; that workers are organised as workers, irrespective of political or religious convictions, colour, creed or gender. They comprise the reserve army of the sellers of labour whose collective power is massive.

But, warns Bell, if that power is misused or abused by politicians or bureaucrats and workers perceive themselves to be ill treated, many will lapse into apathy or turn to the shallow promises of populist demagogues, both political and religious.

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A peek beyond awful, dangerous, bad
Labour leaders too self serving
Who is really representing the poor?
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- Terry Bell is a political, economic and labour analyst. Views expressed are his own. Follow him on twitter @telbelsa.