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Jim: Numsa following Cosatu's resolutions

Johannesburg - Numsa's call for a workers' socialist political party came from the Congress of SA Trade Unions' (Cosatu) own resolutions, National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) general secretary Irvin Jim said on Monday.

At the past six Cosatu congresses, dating back to 1997, the trade union federation had resolved to set up a united front for workers, he said.

"They called it a 'broad popular movement for transformation around common struggles on issues facing the working class'," Jim said at the union's Ford motor company indaba in Pretoria.

"Cosatu called on the building of a movement towards socialism, which they called 'a popular movement towards socialism'."

Ravaged by de-industrialisation

Jim said the country was ravaged by de-industrialisation and existing industries were in crisis.

The Numsa resolved that workers needed their own political organisation, he said.

This was the context that persuaded Numsa to say "enough is enough".

"So it decided immediately to start building the United Front on the basis of full implementation of the Freedom Charter," he said.

Different affiliates within Cosatu organised in the same constituencies, and most affiliates overlapped in scope, he said.

"Denosa [Democratic Nursing Organisation of SA], Nehawu [National Education, Health and Allied Workers' Union] and Sandu [SA Democratic Nurses' Union] all organising nurses is an example," he said.

"Fawu [Food and Allied Workers' Union] described in the CEC [central executive committee] how it was losing members to Saccawu [SA Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers' Union]."

In 2002 the National Union of Mineworkers' (NUM) scope was listed as mining, construction, and energy.

In 2005 Gwede Mantashe [as NUM general secretary] signed changes to mining, construction, energy, "and allied". Metal was listed under allied, said Jim.

Numsa's scope

"Manufacturing of metal is firmly in Numsa’s scope. Why were the NUM general secretaries not reprimanded? Why was the NUM not expelled?" he asked.

Jim called on metalworkers to unite.

"Trade unions are voluntary organisations, you can’t be a member of Numsa by accident... it is a conscious decision.

"We call on all metalworkers to set aside any prejudices they may have and strive for unity under the guiding slogan of the international working class," Jim said.

Cosatu expelled Numsa at its CEC meeting on November 8.

Jim said the union was taking legal advice on whether to challenge its expulsion in court.

Numsa would convene a special CEC meeting on November 21 to discuss the way forward, he said.

Seeking public sympathy

The National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) is responsible for its own expulsion from Cosatu,

Meanwhile, the Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union (Ceppwawu) said on Monday that it welcomed Numsa's expulsion.

"They deliberately invited their expulsion in order to gain public and membership sympathy," the union said in a statement.

"We will continue to defend the constitution and policies of Cosatu including its leadership with everything we have."

Ceppwawu said it was bracing itself for an "open war of influence" on Numsa members. It would reach out to metalworkers to explain what had happened at the CEC and would try and sway members from following Numsa's leaders.

"Lies, half truths, fabrications, slander, malice and insults have become a permanent feature which defines the Numsa leadership," it said.


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