COSATU backs strike but condemns violence
The Congress of South African Trade Unions reaffirms its total support for the strike in the engineering and metals sectors by 220 000 members of NUMSA. Their demands for a decent living wage and better conditions of employment are fully in line with resolutions passed COSATU National Congresses and the 2013 Collective Bargaining Organising and Campaigns Conference.
The federation demands that the employers bring new proposals to the table so that an acceptable settlement can be reached as quickly as possible.
COSATU is however concerned at reports of violence, intimidation and damage to property, allegedly by striking workers. This is in violation of the federation's firm policy that workers' strikes and demonstrations should always be peaceful, disciplined and orderly.
COSATU and its affiliates have never condoned, and will never tolerate, any violent, unlawful or threatening behaviour in any of its activities and have done everything possible to enforce the highest standards of discipline among its members.
In the vast majority of cases this has succeeded. While workers have been militant and angry, they have also been peaceful, lawful and orderly.
This is both a matter of principle, but also a necessary strategy to keep the public on our side. Winning broad public support for workers` demands helps to put more pressure on employers to make concessions. It also makes it easier to recruit new members and enhance the unions` reputation and increase their hegemony in society.
Violence and crime during our activities, on the other hand, even if committed by people who are not even members, undermines public support for striking workers and the trade union movement as a whole.
COSATU therefore supports NUMSA's pledge to enforce its Code of Conduct under which any worker or member seen acting outside the ambit of the law will face serious consequences internally in the union.
Statement issued by Patrick Craven, COSATU national spokesperson, July 8 2014
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