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BusinessLive reports that Cosatu affiliates want its constitution to be amended to include a clause holding unions liable for outstanding subscriptions to the labour federation.
The proposal, which will be debated at the federation’s congress this week, comes amid its court battle to recoup about R10m in unpaid affiliation fees from its former affiliates, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) and the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu). Some of the federation’s affiliates are beset by infighting and maladministration, such as the SA Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) and the SA Transport and Allied Workers’ Union (Satawu), and have failed to meet their financial obligations to the federation, sending it into the red over the years, according to general secretary Bheki Ntshalintshali. "The unions are not healthy, some are struggling and they owe the federation. If they were paying what is due to Cosatu, it [the federation] would be very rich. The membership we have should make us stable," Ntshalintshali indicated. Other suggested amendments to the organisation’s constitution include the insertion of a clause enabling the federation to hold shares in profit-making entities. Cosatu affiliates also want the extension of terms of office for elected leaders from three to five years, arguing that the frequency and cost of convening Cosatu meetings are not conducive to stability, while the current term period is also not enough for the leaders to implement all congress resolutions.
- Read this report by Theto Mahlakoana in full at BusinessLive
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