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News and Publicity - Press Statement: [Press]Cosatu 18th anniversary speech COSATU Communications Department - 2003-12-02 |
18TH ANNIVERSARY OF COSATU Speech by Cde. Wilie Madisha : President of COSATU Delivered on Monday, 01 December 2003 We gather here tonight to celebrate our 18 years of life as a Federation of Workers in our country. Although it might seem like a very short period since COSATU was established in its present form, we pause as we look back at the past 18 years with pride, because we have achieved. The past 18 years were years of gallant and continuous workers struggles, as well as countless daily battles against exploitation and the flouting of basic human rights, both at the workplace and around the country. Those 18 years of continuous struggles were matched equally by 18 years of continuous workers' victories against workplace exploitation, and the final downfall of institutionalised racism. Those victories were won either by COSATU as the co- ordinating centre, or our affiliates in various industries within which they operate. Perhaps the biggest victory we have won was uniting the workers of our country into one mighty Federation along non-racial, non-sexist, worker controlled lines. As a result of this, COSATU is today home to the majority of organised workers in our country, all subscribing to our motto, namely "An Injury to One is an Injury to All." We are home to workers who ply their trade across all industries in South Africa; from manufacturing to mining; from public service to entertainment industry; from domestic to farm work; from chemical industry to banks, and many more. In us remains the hope of the weak and the vulnerable; those infected with HIV; those who face retrenchments in the face daily; those who are forced to perform unsafe work as well as jobs that are of no quality. Ours is a Federation that has achieved and continues to play a major international role, that is looked upon as a trade union movement that can assist with resolutions to difficult labour issues beyond the borders of South Africa. Ours is a trade union movement that has and continues to help shape progressive pieces of legislation in our country. We have not only helped shape labour legislation, but have spoken on all policies and legislative framework in our country to ensure transformation envisaged by the working class. As we celebrate our 18 years of life, we pledge to fight for the sustainance of the unity we have achieved, to protect it for many decades to come. Hand in hand with the unity we have achieved, is the organisational growth and strength compared to what we had when we were formed. That growth happened particularly in the late 1980's and early 1990's despite the fact that apartheid was at its fiercest, unleashing its machinery against our leaders, members and property. COSATU survived those attacks and emerged victorius. As we celebrate these 18 years of life, we look back with pride because we have jealously guarded and thus stuck with our primary mandate and founding principles, namely, protecting and advancing basic needs of the South African workers on the shop floor, whilst upholding ours as a trade union movement that is revolutionary, caring and transformatory. To this end, we have and will continue to fight, side by side with our Alliance partners to achieve the transformation for which workers and our general populace aspire. Comrades, we have succeeded. But before us lie momentous challenges. As a Federation, we are deeply worried that almost half of the men and women who are supposed to be working are not working; that in many factories, even those who are working, theirs are temporary, outsourced or contract jobs with no benefits at all; that five people die every minute due to HIV related diseases. We draw solace, however, to the fact that together with our Alliance partners and business, we are ready to confront unemployment head on, and the GDS can be one instrument towards dealing with this problem. We are happy that we agree through the GDS, that all of us including business, government and labour must mobilise local resources to create employment. We urge government and business to play their part so that the GDS Agreement can be wholly implemented. We also urge business to contribute monetarily to ensure that the PSA campaign succeeds. We urge government also, that since we have all committed ourselves to the PSA campaign, government must ensure that in its procurement processes, it becomes proudly South African. We also urge the people of South Africa to make Christmas 2003 a PSA Christmas. This will help us to address the question of jobs for our people. On our part as a Federation, we have resolved and recommitted ourselves to better and even more improved membership service. Through our vision 2015, which guides us to both build our organisation into a formidable force, while strengthening our Alliance partners and institutions of democracy, COSATU is ready to work very hard in the next few years. We remain confident that with a leadership that is committed as we are, both at Federation and affiliate level, we are on track. We are on track to grow by at least 10% every year. For us to do this, I call on every Shop Steward and Union Official, on very Office Bearer of our affiliates, to work hard to ensure we achieve our vision 2015. All members, each one of the, must know that they too are Organisers. Comrades, today is the World Aids Day. Earlier on I raised the point that every five minutes our people succumb to AIDS related diseases. This cannot go on. We wish to thank our government for the bold step to avail medicines to our people. We further urge those whose responsibility it is to implement this, our members in the public service, to do so. But further, it will be proper if we immediately ensure that in every province there is a site to handle issues such as counselling, treatment, education, etc. It has to be in all provinces immediately, because HIV/AIDS is not concentrated only in one province, township or village. Comrades, in a few months to come, our country will hold the third democratic elections, which will put the final seal to our democratic breakthrough. Members of COSATU, their families and neighbours must make sure that the ANC is overwhelmingly returned to power. They must understand that voting for the African National Congress is voting for transformation, democracy and total eradication of racism. We need a two thirds ANC majority to achieve that. FORWARD TO 2015 FORWARD TO WORKERS SOLIDARITY Patrick Craven Acting COSATU Spokesperson patrick@cosatu.org.za 082-821-7456 339-4911 ********************************************************* Visit the COSATU web site at http://www.cosatu.org.za/press/latest.html for copies of our most recent press statements. Get free e-mail for union members. Visit www.union.org.za and sign up now! It's free! COSATU takes steps to ensure that any attachments are free from viruses. 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