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Labour Q&A with Terry Bell
Fin24 user David Ngoveni wants to know if unions are still fulfilling their primary mandate - that of serving the workers. He writes:
I want to know, in your view, if most of our unions, especially the alliance, are still on labour issues to serve workers or in the political arena to fulfill their individual personal gain at the expense of workers?
Also, looking at Marikana, what the two unions should have been doing together versus there current position.
Terry Bell responds:
Hi David,
There is a lot of legitimate cynicism about the labour movement concerning the role of many union leaders. This is because these leaders have moved a long way from their memberships.
But now there is a backlash from the rank and file, demanding democratic control. This was an important aspect at Marikana.
Because the Cosatu unions (with the exception of NumsaA) are part of the ANC-led alliance, they are under pressure to toe the political line of the ANC even when it contradicts Cosatu policies and positions.
Cosatu leaders are also apparently rewarded for their loyalty to the ANC by being "deployed" to government and cabinet positions. This they claim they are doing in order to influence the ANC to move toward "pro-worker policies". But, while in government, they never publicly criticise or in any way oppose policies that, as Cosatu leaders, they were against.
But the unions are composed of members and their constitutions are fundamentally democratic. So while some leaderships should be correctly criticised — and perhaps be voted out — the battle should be to restore rank and file trade union democracy.
* Share your take or just drop Terry a labour question.
- Fin24
* Follow Terry on twitter @telbelsa.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on Fin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
Fin24 user David Ngoveni wants to know if unions are still fulfilling their primary mandate - that of serving the workers. He writes:
I want to know, in your view, if most of our unions, especially the alliance, are still on labour issues to serve workers or in the political arena to fulfill their individual personal gain at the expense of workers?
Also, looking at Marikana, what the two unions should have been doing together versus there current position.
Terry Bell responds:
Hi David,
There is a lot of legitimate cynicism about the labour movement concerning the role of many union leaders. This is because these leaders have moved a long way from their memberships.
But now there is a backlash from the rank and file, demanding democratic control. This was an important aspect at Marikana.
Because the Cosatu unions (with the exception of NumsaA) are part of the ANC-led alliance, they are under pressure to toe the political line of the ANC even when it contradicts Cosatu policies and positions.
Cosatu leaders are also apparently rewarded for their loyalty to the ANC by being "deployed" to government and cabinet positions. This they claim they are doing in order to influence the ANC to move toward "pro-worker policies". But, while in government, they never publicly criticise or in any way oppose policies that, as Cosatu leaders, they were against.
But the unions are composed of members and their constitutions are fundamentally democratic. So while some leaderships should be correctly criticised — and perhaps be voted out — the battle should be to restore rank and file trade union democracy.
* Share your take or just drop Terry a labour question.
- Fin24
* Follow Terry on twitter @telbelsa.
Disclaimer: All articles and letters published on Fin24 have been independently written by members of the Fin24 community. The views of users published on Fin24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent those of Fin24.
