Solidarity's right -wing friends - 16-02-06

 

Solidarity's right-wing friends

The Congress of South African Trade Unions deplores the campaign against affirmative action being waged by the 'trade union' Solidarity. We agree with the National Union of Mineworkers that this campaign is intrinsically an anti-black campaign, which serves only to polarise our society and to bring divisions among workers. They are speaking for those white workers who were beneficiaries of the racist whites-only job reservation policy.

COSATU also condemns Solidarity's moves to form links with the right-wing National Federation of Christian Trade Unions, a new international joint forum for trade unions from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Italy in the 'Christian democratic' (ie right-wing) tradition.

COSATU is even more concerned that Solidarity has held meetings in the USA with the Cato Institute, a right-wing think tank that says it supports "free-market capitalism - the most progressive, dynamic, and ever-changing system the world has ever known", and with Newt Gingrich, an extreme right-wing Republican, about whom Solidarity's Dirk Herman, said, "Meeting him was a wonderful experience."

No genuine trade union would have anything to do with such rabidly anti-working class people, and we warn South African workers to judge this organisation by the company it keeps, refuse to have anything to do with it and only join genuine trade unions - those affiliated to COSATU.

Patrick Craven (Editor, Shopsteward Journal)

Congress of South African Trade Unions

1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets

Braamfontein, 2017

P.O.Box 1019

Johannesburg, 2000

South Africa

Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24

Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940

E-Mail: patrick@cosatu.org.za