Volume 10, No.3 - May 2001

A victory for all the people

Denosa joins COSATU

In a historic decision on 30 March 2001, delegates to the Congress of the Democratic Nurses Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA voted overwhelmingly (by more than two thirds) to affiliate to COSATU, a move which will bring many benefits to nurses and all workers.

DENOSA was formed in 1996 as a voluntary organisation to protect, promote, empower and support nurses and midwives and contribute to the struggle for decent health care for all . Its formation signalled a break with the past and allowed nurses to exercise their constitutional right to establish a democratic organisation, controlled by its members.

At its founding Congress in 1997, DENOSA adopted its name and constitution. The question of affiliation to a trade union federation remained on the agenda until the recent Congress.

The organisation has however affiliated to various international bodies - Public Services International, a sister federation to COSATU in the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the Commonwealth Nurses Federation. The decision to affiliate to COSATU was thus a logical decision to affiliate also to a national labour federation.

This was debated for over four years, culminating in the overwhelming majority vote on 30 March. Delegates decided that the interests of nurses would be served better if they affiliated to an federation with two million members and an incomparable track record in representing workers. Affiliation will not compromise DENOSA's autonomy.

COSATU is a federation of autonomous unions, whose members have the full right to decide on their own organisation's constitution and policy and to formulate COSATU policies. It is true that the one of COSATU's guiding principles is "One union - one industry; One country - one Federation". COSATU has however not forced any mergers between unions where members are not in full agreement.

COSATU respects and supports DENOSA's right to defend the values of the nursing profession and their members' interests. Other COSATU affiliates are organised within professions, for example the South African Democratic Teachers' Union, the SA Democratic Nurses' Union, the SA Football Players' Union and the Performing Arts Workers' Equity. None have been lost their identity. Affiliation will bring major benefits.

DENOSA will become part of a two-million strong mass organisation, with the power to defend the interests of all workers and society as a whole. COSATU exerts profound influence over large areas of policy and legislation. It leads labour in Nedlac and countless other institutions and has a Parliamentary office to lobby and influence legislation.

The voice of the nurses will now be heard in these high level decision-making structures.DENOSA will be able to exert influence and ensure that transformation benefits nurses and other workers.

Recently, public-sector unions have not been successful in winning their members better salaries and working conditions. The main reason is that they are divided into twelve unions who sometimes compete with each other instead of forming a unified block at the collective bargaining chamber.

Numerically, COSATU public-sector unions represent the majority of public service workers. DENOSA's affiliation will lead to greater cooperation and consolidation between nurses and other public-sector workers.

Solidarity with other workers is especially valuable for nurses, who are prohibited from striking. There is no question of nurses being forced to strike. COSATU led the negotiations that brought about the current Labour Relations Act (LRA), which does not allow strikes by nurses, police and other workers whom the public sector bargaining council has defined as performing essential services. COSATU supports this as consistent with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.

But DENOSA can now benefit from solidarity expressed by the two million other workers in COSATU.

COSATU is in an alliance with the ANC and SACP, an alliance composed of three, equal partners, independent from each other but united behind a commitment to transform South Africa and redress the imbalances created by our apartheid past.

Such a commitment is equally shared within DENOSA. Being part of the alliance does not compromise COSATU's independence, as it has demonstrated countless times. We have sometimes brutally criticised government publicly; held many demonstrations and even strikes against government policies. No other organisation can match this record of exercising independence.

COSATU's membership of the liberation movement does not mean its affiliates' members are forced to join the ANC or SACP. COSATU members include supporters of all political parties. Both DENOSA and COSATU respect the right of every member to join any party or none.

The most fundamental advantage of affiliating to COSATU is that nurses will not struggle alone again! Two million fellow workers will forever stand alongside them! Nurses united will never be defeated! DENOSA is your spear! COSATU is your shield!

 

SADNU welcomes this move

By Mike Segoapa, SADNU Media and Publicity The decision taken by the SA Democratic Nurses Union (SADNU) in the Kimberly Congress 1999 to affiliate to COSATU was and still remains a historic one. It was a first of its kind and seems to have set the trend.

Of course the decision was a culmination of a robust debate that has plagued the union since its birth. The delegates present at that Congress made a deliberate break with the past, where nurses used always to isolate themselves from the rest of other workers.

We were met with open arms by COSATU, contrary to what the so-called rumour had been saying about COSATU. Since our affiliation, our profile as a union has improved and in fact there is still more to learn from this relationship. We still have to deepen this relationship to regional and local levels. Our understanding of labour issues is general is on the rise.

We therefore note with interest that our resolution to unite nurses in COSATU is becoming realisable. On 30 March 2001 DENOSA in a National Congress voted in favour of COSATU. FEDUSA has so far failed to impress nurses. We therefore welcome this move with open arms.

DENOSA has moved a step closer to us and a fertile ground exists to strengthen the ties. At last we belong to the same camp. As dynamite comes is small packages, so has SADNU, the youngest nurses' union led a very historic move and we salute all this comrades in DENOSA for their wisdom in voting COSATU.

COSATU eyethu! COSATU is ours! We are COSATU!